Ironic Technology
by BritishSarcasm
Summary: Link loses an arm after a tricky situation with two Guardians, luckily, he is able to receive a prosthesis made of Ancient Technology from his Sheikah allies. He continues on to complete all of the Shrines, meeting his friends from the four nations along the way, before he's finally ready to take on Ganon with his tech upgrade. Leads into slice of life post-calamity with Zelda.
1. Ironic Technology

**This series has already been partly uploaded to Ao3 so I'm cross-posting the currently published chapters here over the next week. This story has zelink as end game, with hints of zelinkpha here and there. Please enjoy and let me know what you think~**

* * *

It was getting late into the evening, and Link had been so focused on severing the legs of the Guardian in front of him, that amid the sparks and flashes of light reflecting in the heavy rain storm, he hadn't noticed the laser sight of a second Guardian honing in on him. After making it this far, sneaking though the fields in his full Sheikah gear, he hadn't expected to draw any attention from the malicious sentinels.

Readjusting the grip he had on the guardian battle axe he twisted his body back, building momentum to take another swing at an intact leg. Only, he never got to make the swing. The weapon was sent spinning off into the distance, its blue glow disappearing into the ruins of an old settlement, and a sudden pain burst from his shoulder as if it were burning. He absently noticed that he was also now incredibly off balance.

"A shout exploded from him as he dropped to his knees, narrowly missing another laser that sailed over his head. Too close to the guardian before him and hidden by grass from the other, he was able to avoid being spotted for the time being. The two Guardians swivelled their singular eyes this way and that before losing their aggressive red glow and slinking away.

Link noticed that his body was shaking uncontrollably and he still felt like he was listing to one side, even with his centre of gravity now so close to the ground. Deciding to attend to the burn on his shoulder first he turned his head to assess the damage and nearly threw up.

His entire right arm was gone; eviscerated by the blast.

The shaking, he now understood, was shivering as his body went into shock. His heart rate sky rocketed as the absence of his right arm was processed and panic started to rise. He needed to make a plan of action before hysteria or despair set in, neither of which would be productive to his current situation. At least he wouldn't bleed to death as the wound left by the Guardian attack had been seared over.

Taking measured breaths and trying to fight his remaining shaking limbs, he reached down to take hold of the Sheikah Slate. Shaking it awake he feverishly looked over the map, trying to decide where to teleport to. Had he been in his right mind the obvious location to travel to would have been _anywhere but here_. Unfortunately, his fight or flight response was at war with each other, and he was therefore going through the pros and cons on who to contact for help. He ruled out the Zora immediately; Sidon would probably suffer a stroke seeing him in this state and there wasn't anything they could do to help currently anyway. He couldn't sneak his way into Gerudo Town to see Riju, and he wasn't in the best condition to deal with the climate of Goron City or Rito Village. It wasn't that he thought they could fix his condition exactly, he just wanted to go somewhere with people he trusted.

Link mentally cursed himself for being so stupid in his fight with the Lynel in the coliseum, who had achieved a lucky hit to his ribcage. Mipha's Grace had activated, healing his perforated diaphragm and splintered ribs, but now she was unable to heal, her ethereal energy still recovering. If she even _could_ have healed this. He had no idea if her gift was powerful enough to re-grow an entire arm. He doubted it, but still, her presence would have been nice.

Finally deciding that the best place to go was to Kakariko, to see Impa, he placed the slate on his lap and numbly tapped the screen for the shrine on the hill overlooking the village. The sensation of his body disassociating from his mind was for once soothing rather than disconcerting.

Reforming in the same position he had been in previously, he stood on legs that still felt disconnected and wobbly. He put on his hylian hood, drawing the cape at the back around over his shoulder and walked carefully down the hill. Not daring to look up from the ground, lest he alarmed one of the guards, he took the steps up to Impa's home gradually. He refused to show signs of his imbalance and fatigue, willing his body to function properly.

Upon reaching the door, he pushed it open to see Impa in her customary position before him with Paya kneeling to the side of her with a book open on the floor.

They both looked up as he entered, Paya surprised as always but Impa was immediately concerned, taking in his clouded eyes and extremely pale complexion. He opened his mouth to tell them that he may have made a slight miscalculation before is vision took a sudden tilt to the left and then disappeared completely.

* * *

 _Paya, send for Purah and Robbie immediately. Tell them safety be damned. Yes, with those exact words, my dear._

 _…_

 _Oh, SNAP! How in the name of Hylia did this happen?!_

 _He's lucky it was only his arm_

 _Lucky?! I'd rather he still had both arms_

 _…_ _could have been worse_

 _That doesn't help Rob!_

 _Well, how the hell do we fix_ ** _this_** _?_

 _..._

 _No, Robbie._

 _Is that even possible?_

 _Theoretically; I have been testing to make it possible._

 _Oh, boy…_

 _Do you have a better idea?_

 _…_

 _Oh, he is going to_ ** _hate_** _this._

* * *

When Link regained consciousness he instantly recognised that he was no longer in Impa's home. He actually didn't recognise where he was, but as he was lying down staring at the ceiling he could see various pieces of ancient technology hanging from the rafters. He therefore assumed he was either at the Lab in Hateno or Akkala. Grimacing, he recalled the events that brought him to this point in time, and wondered why he hadn't made the decision to come to one of the labs first.

 _Because Impa was less likely to immediately call your actions idiotic._ He sighed and tutted to himself, irritated.

"Oh thank all of the goddesses, you're awake."

Startled, Link turned his head to the left and saw Symin coming over, no doubt to check on his condition.

 _Oh, Hateno it is then_.

"Can you hear me, Link?" Symin asked, leaning over to click his fingers by Link's right ear and watched as it twitched back at the noise. Link nodded anyway. "Oh good, try not to move, I just need to get the directors."

 _Directors?_ Link thought but nodding again at Symin's request. He didn't feel like moving anyway.

"Purah! Robbie! He's awake!"

"Oh, finally!" came an older male voice, that Link recognised as the man he'd met in Akkala Tech Lab.

 _Where am I?_ Link asked himself. The frequency with which he had asked himself that question since waking in the Shrine of Resurrection should have been concerning.

"We worried you'd be out for a lot longer than this, but at least it wasn't a century, huh?"

"Robbie, dear, that isn't very tactful."

This voice Link recognised as Robbie's wife, Jerrin. However, if both Symin and Jerrin were here, then which Tech Lab was he at?

"It was a genuine concern!"

"Hey, Linky!" Purah suddenly popped up into his field of view where Symin had been standing before. "You've been out for about a week since we brought you to my lab. How are you feeling?"

Link decided to answer this question with a withering look that screamed 'how do you think?'

"Well, he's still got attitude, so that's something," she said grinning, but the grin didn't completely hide how thoroughly relieved she appeared.

"Say, Link," Robbie approached, oddly cautious, which caught the Hylian's interest immediately. "Could you sit up? I need to give you a good look over."

Link couldn't resist a small comment, noticing how he was only wearing his sheikah leggings. "Do I get to keep my clothes on this time?"

Symin, who unfortunately had been taking a sip of tea in the corner at the time, snorted into his cup and then began choking. While Jerrin was making sure he didn't asphyxiate, Purah was judging Robbie with an expectant stare, to which Robbie ignored.

"Yes, yes, very funny," he waved his hands at Link dismissively, "now up you get if you can, please."

Remembering to shift his weight onto his left arm, he braced himself into an upright position. Only, his balance wasn't quite so lopsided anymore. Teetering over to the left too much, before either Purah or Robbie could help him, his brain instructed his right arm to steady himself, and a right arm obeyed.

Link's eyes widened as he stared at the arm bracing his body against the edge of the bed he had been lying on. The arm looked to be comprised of the same material as the ancient armour, but Link knew one thing. This new limb screamed Guardian tech.

"Oh … well … look at that. It works," Robbie noted, but neither he nor Purah moved a muscle from their positions.

Link pushed himself back into an upright position, with _both_ arms, and then began to study his right arm more closely.

It really did look like the interlocking plates of the ancient armour, but rivets along the edges showed a source of blue light beneath the surface. He lifted his arm slowly, noticing the lack of pain, and then slowly drew the arm back. He could see Robbie and Purah to the side watching with absolute fascination, and even Symin and Jerrin by the back wall were transfixed.

He slowly started to rotate his right 'arm', watching as the new scar tissue he had acquired around his shoulder stretched with the movement. The movement was fluid and controlled, the action slightly more precise than his left arm. Lowering his new limb again, he clenched and unclenched his fist, impressed with how quickly it responded, as if it were his own arm just covered over by metal.

"Turn this way a moment, Link, I need to document this progress," Robbie beckoned quickly.

Link silently obeyed, shifting over to the side of the bed as Robbie motioned for him to hold up his hands.

"Can you touch the tips of your fingers to your thumb one by one, please?"

The Hylian did as he was told, the reaction time and precision of each action on his left hand was mirrored perfectly with those on his right.

"Alright! Now, one final test," Robbie muttered, which must have been the cue for Purah to perk up and lob her pen directly at Links face.

He immediately blocked the projectile with his right hand, as was instinct for him, but he also accidentally crushed it, the pen audibly splintering in his grip. There was a silence, Link slowly lowering his arm and opening his hand to inspect the pen debris in his palm, before Purah let out an excited whoop.

"Snuh-AP! That was awesome!"

"Indeed! So, Link, what do you think?" Robbie asked, placing his hands on his hips and looking expectantly at the Hylian Champion.

"… You have a real sick sense of humour, Robbie," Link answered after a pause, causing the older man to let out a bark of laughter.

"So, you like it then."

He really did. Honestly, he was a little glad he had passed out when he did. Left conscious in his state any longer and the despair of the situation would have settled in. How in Hylia he was going to storm the castle unless he was at full capacity being one of his concerns. He was going to go back to Kakariko immediately and promise Impa that if she ever needed anything he was going to drop everything and do it. Robbie and Purah were geniuses and had not only fixed his problem, but actually made his situation slightly better.

"We also decided if we were going to do this, why not go the whole way! So, we in-built the same weapon system the Guardians have into your arm. Cool, huh?"

Turns out he could now generate energy to be fired out of his hand after enough charge time in short bursts, similarly to the training guardians he encountered in shrines. The blue glow he could see thrumming beneath the surface of his right arm was the molten equivalent of the blue flame that powered their research. It was both an adequate reminder of his colossal recklessness, and a nice little bit of irony to smack in Calamity Ganon's face. Assuming he had a face, of course.

The only downside to his new arm that Link could see was that the Master Sword did not respond to him while being wielded with his right hand.

 _Oh well,_ Link mused, _at least now I have an excuse to go back to being left handed._

* * *

 **I was reading the Twilight Princess manga adaptation and Link loses his arm (then has it healed but y'know), so I considered how Link in Breath of the Wild would lose an arm. VERY easily was the conclusion.**

 **Then I considered how far can the ancient tech be utilised and I gave him a mech upgrade. It's not my fault. The idea of Link having a part of himself made from the tech of the guardians was just too good.**

 **Chapter art can be found under the #Ironic Technology tag on my tumblr sarcastic-sketches**


	2. Temper The Soul

**Link has decided to undertake the Trials now available to him to restore the Master Sword to its former glory. He has a weapon for an arm now, how bad could it be?**

* * *

Materialising back into the world of Hyrule, Link once again held the imperfect Master Sword in his hands. The sounds of wooden wind chimes jingled, Koroks rustled among the foliage, and there was a general state of peace.

"FUUUUU-AAAAHHH," Link screamed, crouching slightly in rage before whirling around to lob the damn sword as far away from him as possible. He resisted at the last second, however, glaring at the weapon in his hand. It wasn't the swords fault.

Inhaling deeply, he muffled another pained yell through pursed lips, before dropping unceremoniously to the ground to lie like a starfish on the forest floor. He glared up at the canopy of the trees, subconsciously realising that all the Koroks had scurried away very quickly with his sudden outburst.

It was now the fifth time he had come back without fully awakening the Master Sword, and his patience had disintegrated somewhere back on his fourth try. He had been so close this time, he could feel it. If he followed the pattern of previous rooms he had been close to either being done with the trials completely or reaching another supplies room. Of course, his last shield had to shatter just as he discovered a Stalker that had escaped his notice on the other side of the room. He was developing a bad track record with Stalkers, it wasn't as if they were hard to notice, or that they were particularly sneaky. Maybe his eyesight had taken a hit in the 100 years he hadn't been using it.

The Deku Tree watched as the small blonde seethed silently on the floor, fairies occasionally fluttering near before darting away again. Deciding to give the young Hylian a gentle push he asked the question he always posed when Link returned from the trials.

"… Would you like to test-" but he was cut off as Link held up a hand to halt him.

"Just … give me a minute," Link replied, still staring wide-eyed at the leaves above him, and a few of the curious wood sprites, before returning his hand to the sword.

Heaving a deep sigh, the Hero of Hyrule turned his now slightly manic gaze to the pedestal next to him, as if daring it to mock him as he contemplated a sixth attempt. Did he really need the sword to be at full power to take on Ganon? He had a cool robot arm now, surely that could compensate? Turning away from the pedestal he watched as he flexed the fingers of his right hand, watching leaves crinkle beneath the glowing knuckles, leaves he could not feel. He had been careless once. He needed everything at his disposal to deal with Ganon.

He had known that the trials would be challenging, that was the whole point; he was being tempered in the swords stead. However, he had logically assumed that going in with a literal weapon for an arm would make things a tad bit easier. He had been wrong. The Monks were fully aware of what his mechanical upgrade could do and reacted accordingly. He couldn't shoot lasers anymore. Link just thanked any of the Goddesses that still gave him the time of day that the Monks had not removed the arm entirely.

Link shuddered to imagine how that scenario would have played out. The trials wouldn't have been challenging so much as Link embracing death willingly. Multiple times.

Setting his sights to the sword in his left hand he contemplated how it reflected his predicament quite well. It too needed to regain the power and vitality it once held 100 years ago, just as he had. Thankfully, it didn't looked as damaged as he last remembered it, suddenly curious as to how it managed to heal itself. _Magic_ , his deadpan internal voice answered to which Link conceeded the point. _Speaking of magic_ , the Hylian thought; the sword had been improved twice now, and the Deku Tree said it was nearly twice as powerful as it had been. But its power still would not last indefinitely.

Link brought the sword in front of his eyes and squinted at it.

"Why is it that I have to train for the both of us?" He wasn't really expecting an answer but he stuck his tongue out at it regardless, like the adult he was.

"Ok," heaving himself up and standing before the pedestal again he looked up at the Deku Tree. "Please don't tell the Princess how long it's taken me to do this."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

* * *

 **Wrote this after I was 3 rooms away from finishing and I mistimed a parry. My reaction was to curl inwards upon myself and just reach out to turn the game off. But I felt like having Links reaction. It was only my first attempt through the Final Trials though so, he's probably more frustrated than I am. Also, the Monks see your cool robot arm, Link, and they say to you, "Nah, son, not today."**

 **Chapter art can be found under the #Ironic Technology tag on my tumblr sarcastic-sketches**


	3. Last Rounds: Goron City

**After Link's fateful encounter with not one, but two Guardians, he is close to completing all the Shrines and decides to visit some friends on one last circuit around Hyrule before he's ready to take on Ganon.** **  
** **Along the way, he discovers some unforeseen problems with his new arm and is greeted with various responses to it.**

* * *

Bolstered by his success – eventually – with obtaining the true power of the Master Sword, Link had gone on to complete one hundred shrines. However, upon finishing his one hundredth he didn't receive any sort of notification from the Sheikah Slate, which is what he had expected. Nor did he get a message from the Goddess saying that he had reclaimed his full vitality from one hundred years ago when he next traded in his Spirit Orbs. He'd maxed out his stamina a while ago…stubborn white horse.

He therefore assumed that there must still be Shrines left to find, and he wasn't about to storm the Castle without being at his full potential. There was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that there was going to be a Shrine hidden within the Castle; one that had been there all along. He just _knew_ it.

"Maybe I should explore the Castle _before_ I try to get in to take on Ganon," Link murmured to himself, taking the reins of the horse he was currently riding and directing him towards the stables at the base of Death Mountain. "What do you think, Geoffrey? Should I do some recon before storming in there?"

Said horse merely huffed at him as it came to a stop by the lean-to outside the stable. Link had named the black horse 'Geoffrey' as an inside joke with one of the travellers staying at the stables he'd registered the horse at. It was only meant to be a temporary name while he thought of a better one, but 'Geoffrey' just seemed to stick. If he were being truly honest, Link quite liked the fact that there was a good set of memories associated with the horse's name; it gave him a smile to recall it when anyone asked about his sturdy companion. The fact that he'd had the long mane and tail dyed green to match the Monster saddle probably just added to the odd looks he got, not that he cared. He boarded his horse and handed the reins over to the stable hand, giving Geoffrey a goodbye petting on his muzzle before turning to head up the mountain.

When he was out of sight of the stable he selected the Flamebreaker armour to cover his chest and legs, watching it materialise around his body to replace his Champion's Tunic. He summoned the Sapphire Circlet directly into his hand so he could place it carefully upon his head. With no intention of getting into a direct fight with an Igneo Talus he had no need of the flameproof effect that his upgraded complete armour set granted him. He would also like to have full periphery vision for this trip.

Link flexed his right arm under the Flamebreaker chest guard, still amazed at how well the armour was able to fit over his prosthetic. If it were not for the fact that the Sheikah Slate literally formed the armour around his body Link would have had genuine problems wearing some of his sets. He'd since been to Robbie's Lab to let the man tinker around with his arm, and optimise the components to make it slimmer. Apparently, Purah was very put out that Robbie had been able to claim Link as his test subject before she could, but not before having the last word:

"He's only your guinea pig until the Princess comes back, I'm pretty sure she had first dibs anyway."

Link had merely blinked in confusion in response to this, with just a smidge of fear. He remembered the frog incident.

Rotating his robotic wrist, watching the glow from within flicker with the movement, he selected the shrine at the top of Goron City. He intended to visit a friend before he started searching the Eldin region for any missing Shrines.

Re-forming at the Shae Mo'Sah Shrine, he could immediately feel the oppressive heat, even through several layers of protection magic. He decided to scout around for Yunobo quickly before he got distracted by the other denizens of the city. Last he had seen him the young Goron had been standing guard above the entrance to the city, fully embracing his role as the descendant of Champion Daruk.

Link was a little proud of him.

He jogged over to the nearest cliff and started to scale it. Reaching the top, he hoisted himself up over the edge and then began to sprint nimbly along the uneven surface. He skirted around the monument of the Goron Champion, hopping between protruding rock and sheer cliff face, until he could spot the mine track below him. He located Yunobo walking along the upper levels of the mountain surrounding the city, he did not seem to be particularly rushed but his strides looked purposeful. A patrol route.

The Hylian Champion considered whistling to get his attention, but over the rumble of the mountain and the general noise from the Gorons below them he'd have to do so quite loudly. He didn't fancy abusing his airways to such a degree. Instead, he paraglided down to the walkway that acted as a welcome arch to the city. He then resumed his loping sprint until he had neared the good-natured Goron and side stepped around him to wave cheerily in greeting.

"Link! Oh, it's so good to see you, goro! How have you been? It's been ages since I saw you last or, at least, it feels like it has," Yunobo said happily, equally pleased to see the Hylian as Link was to see him.

"It's good to see you too! It has been a while, been busy, had a bit of an accident, the usual," Link shrugged, still grinning. It quite easy to speak with Yunobo, and he still wasn't sure why but it was a relief none-the-less. At the word 'accident', however, Yunobo looked concerned.

"Wait, what happened, goro? Nothing too bad, I hope."

"Well, I could show you… but I don't want to catch fire," Link said, casting some looks around them at all the lava and semi-melted stone.

"OH! Then let's go down to a level where the heat isn't so bad."

Realising he had become a distraction, Link placed a hand on Yunobo's wrist as the Goron turned to look down the mountain trail.

"I don't want to interrupt your patrol."

"Ah, it's ok! I've already completed my route twice today, and nothing seems to be out of place. I think I can slip away to catch up with a friend for a bit, goro." Yunobo laughed, "Now, it's your turn to follow me, come on!"

The Goron rolled into a ball and tipped himself over the edge of the cliff he'd been walking along and barrelled down the mountain path towards the cooler temperatures at the bottom. Link stood there stunned for a moment before laughing out loud and reaching for his shield.

* * *

They both eventually reached the Eldin Sheikah Tower, Yunobo unrolling with a flourish, pumping his fists into the air just as Link skidded to a halt on his shield and kicked it up so he could catch it. Halfway down the mountain Link had almost overtaken the young Goron by utilising Daruk's Protection in a risky manoeuvre off a cliff edge. Unfortunately, this had served as a reminder to Yunobo that he also had this shielding ability and had started to deviate into much more uneven terrain. Terrain the little Hylian could not traverse on his shield. Still, Link congratulated Yunobo on his win for the impromptu race with a double thumbs up and a smile on his face.

Sitting on the ledge of rock before the base of the tower, Link was able to swap his Flamebreaker chest guard for his climbing top and show Yunobo what he had meant by 'an accident'.

"Link! That's more than a bit of an accident, goro!" Yunobo exclaimed, his giant hands hovering over the arm made of ancient composite materials. His movement showed he wanted to confirm for himself that Link was ok, but didn't dare actually touch his arm in case he caused more damage.

 _As if this guy would ever let himself harm someone,_ Link thought, fondly. _A literal gentle giant._

"You can touch it y'know, it's not going to break. This thing is more resilient than I am!" He emphasised his point by waving his arm up and down, then bending the limb repeatedly at the elbow. "It's also pretty strong too."

Reaching over to his right, Link picked up a rock in his Ancient tech hand, throwing it up and catching it a couple of times before crushing it into powdery pieces.

"Woah, that's amazing, goro! You could probably punch through rock as easily as a Goron with that arm," Yunobo said, enthusiastically.

"That might not do my shoulder any good," Link admitted, looking slightly sheepish. "That part of me is still just weak Hylian."

"You're not weak! You got all the way up here on your own, saved me from a cave in, saved my home from Rudania and saved Rudania itself… that's not weak. Actually, I'd like to be more like you."

Link turned to look up at Yunobo, genuinely surprised.

"Why would you want to be anything but yourself? Yunobo …you're great as you are."

"Huh?" The Goron in question seemed taken aback by how adamant Link suddenly was about this topic.

The Hylian propped himself up on his knees so he was closer to eyelevel with his friend and took a deep breath, gathering the energy he needed to say his piece.

"You're a descendant of Daruk, one of the Champions, and you have his gift. Which means you must have a desire to defend and protect people. But at the same time, you've never shown any intention to hurt another being; you're not aggressive at all. You also didn't give up on me the entire time we went up the mountain – you were _fired out of a canon_ for fuck's sake!"

"Link!"

The Hylian grabbed onto Yunobo's hands, shaking them slightly to get the Goron's full attention for what he had to say next before his voice failed him.

"Please don't wish to be anyone else when you're a wonderful person just the way you are. I'm so glad I got to meet you."

Yunobo's jaw dropped open slightly, staring at his small friend in awe, processing what he had just heard. He was elated beyond words for moment, and incredibly honoured to have this Hylian as his friend, whilst also being quite shocked at how many words had just come out of the Champion's mouth.

"Thank you, Link. That means a lot to me, goro."

Yunobo's hands had been released and the Goron could only sit there and twiddle his large thumbs in silence for a bit, not sure how to follow a discussion like that.

"Hey, how's that arm of yours with high temperatures?"

Link blinked in surprised at the subject change, still in the process of winding down, but he easily went with it. "Well, it was still functioning back in the city, plus it was made from the same material as those Guardians and I've seen those walk through lava unscathed… I'm still not sticking my hand in the volcano though," he affirmed, wrinkling his nose at the idea.

Yunobo openly laughed at that, "that's probably wise!"

* * *

An hour later and the pair were walking back up the mountain trail. Yunobo had chosen to travel alongside Link as the Hylian couldn't exactly shield surf up hill. While their walk back to the city had started off side by side, it had devolved into an excuse to stress test Link's new prosthetic some more. He was now hanging off of Yunobo's bicep by his hands, keeping his feet off the floor as they continued their way along the path.

"Do I even weigh anything to you?" Link asked, laughing, as he hefted himself up to cross his arms on top of the Goron's outstretched limb.

"Not really," Yunobo said, shrugging and accidentally dislodging Link from his arm for a second. "Oh, sorry!"

"No worries, I'm still here. It must be great to-" Link was interrupted as the Sheikah Slate on his hip suddenly started chiming. He looked down at the device on his hip to see the screen pulsing blue. _That was fast._

"What's wrong, goro?" Yunobo asked, stopping to look down at the source of the noise.

"Shrine," Link answered succinctly. He dropped down from Yunobo's arm to take the Slate in hand and bring up the map, they were just passing Goronbi Lake, before looking back up at his friend, face apologetic. "I'm sorry, but this is where I need to leave."

"Sure, you go do what you have to do. The faster you finish that, the faster you can go save the Princess, right?"

Link nodded.

Yunobo hesitated for a minute before enveloping Link in one of the gentlest hugs he had ever received. It should have been strange, being caged in arms made of rock yet instead it was bizarrely comforting. He reached his own arms around Yunobo's massive frame as best he could, squeezing slightly, before drawing back just as the Goron's arms retreated.

"Take care of yourself, goro," Yunobo said, gesturing at Link's right arm, that was once again covered by the Flamebreaker armour.

"Don't worry, I learned a valuable lesson from this. I'm taking much better care of myself than I used to."

"Good! Now, remember to say goodbye before you leave and good luck with your Shrine."

Yunobo patted Link on the back, mindful of his strength, a complete opposite to his Ancestor, and Link couldn't help a small smile at the thought.

"Thanks, Yunobo."

With that, Link turned away and started to follow the incessant beep beep of his Sheikah Sensor.

 _ **Next Stop… Rito Village**_

* * *

 **I am aware you cannot shield surf down Death Mountain, but I think that's bullshit and a missed opportunity so I'm ignoring that fact…**

 **I'm also basing Links ability to talk on whether he has the energy to at the time. Sometimes it takes a lot of built up energy to actually start talking, and when that energy is gone the desire to speak is just non-existent. Of course, it's easier around people he's comfortable with. Later he'll start using sign language that will be based off BSL, because I am of course British.**

 **Chapter art can be found under the #Ironic Technology tag on my tumblr sarcastic-sketches**


	4. Last Rounds: Rito Village

**Towards Rito Village, Link encounters technical difficulties and has to face Teba's stern fatherly disapproval...**

 **(please see the end for a lil FAQ I have made based on a recent review, which highlights that some people may be misunderstanding some key points about this AU)**

* * *

Before Link had even crossed over the first rope bridge on his way to Rito Village he could hear the birdsong of the Rito fledglings. It was such an uplifting sound it made Link feel physically lighter, walking up the first set of stairs with a bounce to his steps. It also eased his anxiety a smidge.

He was worried how Teba would react to his new _appendage_ and was slightly worried he would receive more than a simple clip around the back of the head. _More like I'll become moving target practice for his son,_ Link thought. _At least it would be a good father-son bonding experience for them._

He'd considered simply avoiding Teba all together, but had instantly scrapped that idea for a couple of reasons. One; he wasn't a damn coward and he'd take the anticipated dressing down like the Champion he was. Two; it would be a completely dick move to miss out Teba when he was catching up with everyone else. Three; he actually really needed to talk to Teba. All in all, there was no avoiding Link's fate of being stared down by the Rito warrior and being subjected to an unimpressed gaze akin to a disappointed father.

As Link reached the highest landing he could see Kass' daughters scattered about the platform, testing their vocal chords and bursting into birdsong for short moments before quietening again. He may not be a coward, but he knew an excellent excuse to delay the inevitable when he saw one.

He jogged over to the platform edge next to the multicoloured fledglings and waved in greeting. "How have you all been? Has your dad come back yet?"

"Link!" He was immediately surrounded by a feathery rainbow as the girls hugged his legs in joy.

"It's been ages!"

"Did you bring more salmon?"

"Dad is still on his quest."

"He sent a letter to us and mum yesterday - He's in Faron!"

"You didn't come to see us at Warbler's Nest…"

Link gently settled himself down onto his knees so he could return their hugs one by one, careful to pay attention to what each was saying. Even if they were all talking all at once.

He made a mental note to swing by Faron region for a Shrine song he may have missed.

"I'm glad your dad is doing well. Also, I'm sorry I couldn't see you sing, I was suddenly needed elsewhere. But," Link paused, looking over the edge of the platform to where Warbler's Nest was located, "I have plenty of time now."

Still kneeling on the floor, Link clasped his hands together in front of him as he looked at the young Rito. "Would you all mind singing that song again? I think I might know what the secret is."

He gave them his best beseeching look, even though they all looked extremely happy to be asked to sing. That was until the green fledgling, whose name Link recalled was Genli, suddenly perked up.

"Guys, group huddle," she said, and the sisters all clustered together.

The Hylian Champion cocked his head to the side like a confused dog as he watched the Rito sisters converse in quick, harsh whispers. Then, as suddenly as they converged, they broke apart to line up before him. Genli stepped forward towards him and raised a prominent feather.

"We will sing, on one condition."

Link titled his head forward expectantly, slightly apprehensive as to what he was about to be asked to do.

"You have to cook us all Salmon Meuniere!" The girls cheered.

He started to laugh, nodding vigorously as the colourful fledglings started to sing in joy, flapping their small wings excitedly.

* * *

The Shrine turned out to be fairly simple to uncover, or simple for a man that had already discovered over a hundred of the damn things. Yet, he would admit he hadn't realised at first that he needed to blow wind through the numbered hands _from_ the Shrine pedestal and got confused when nothing happened as he did it from around the edges.

 _Of course it's supposed to be done on the pedestal,_ Link berated himself, face held in his hands as the Shrine finally unearthed itself behind him.

Luckily for him, when the Shrine appeared the girls had abruptly stopped singing to marvel at the new structure and then immediately started to race each other back home to tell their mother. This left Link alone to enter the Shrine without an audience and any subsequent probing questions from five inquisitive young Rito. This Shrine also turned out to be particularly hazardous.

 _Why is it always lava? How did they even get lava in here? And how is it STILL HERE?!_

The Shrine only highlighted the issue that Link had discovered with his mechanical arm, and the reason that Rito Village had been his next point of interest after Death Mountain.

Once he had concluded that there were no more shrines to find around Death Mountain, he had set off west. Passing the eternally dark forest, which already held a completed shrine, Link had also come across some Korok puzzles. Puzzles that required quick and accurate aim. It was at this point that he started to notice a problem.

He had already noted that his new arm had no sensation in it, which until now hadn't been an issue. Feeling the tension of the bow string against his fingers, or the weight of a weapon and the force needed to swing it. These things had been second nature to him, even after his one hundred year stasis, but were now no longer possible with his right arm.

He still had to correct himself when he would reach for the Master Sword, with his previously dominant hand, only to find the space over his shoulder empty. In an effort to correct his habit, Link had started to wear his belts and weapons angled on the other side of his body, favouring his left hand instead. The fact that he was equally competent with weapons in his left hand had come as a bit of a shock to him initially, but other matters had pushed it to the back of his mind. However, his natural inclination was still to shoot a bow with his right arm drawing the arrow back. Given the situations in which he often needed to make a quick shot, he couldn't easily just swap hands after pulling back on the string and realising his error. So, Link had lined up against the flying target of the Korok puzzle, and released a shot with his right hand. He missed.

He hadn't missed a shot since his early, confused, and very disoriented days after coming out of the Shrine of Resurrection. _For obvious and understandable reasons,_ Link had assured himself, and it wasn't as if he had missed by miles, the arrow would sail past just slightly to the left. After many more attempts, all with equal failure to hit the target and even a few splintered bows, his logical conclusion had been that he was ill and that his coordination was off.

He had not been ill, according to Impa, but regardless she had demanded he rest for the day in Kakariko Village.

"You're more than likely tired. Your insistence to carry out your duty is undoubtedly noble, whilst also being incredibly foolhardy. If you fall in battle because of your complete disregard for your health, who do you imagine will save the Princess, hmm? Rito Village can wait for a day or two."

It was obvious bait but it had the desired effect and Link felt no offence in her accusations, as he knew them to be completely true. He was not arrogant enough to deny her wisdom, and not stupid enough to ignore her advice. _Besides,_ Link reasoned with himself, _it's not as if I haven't had that said to me before._

However, even with the 'recommended healthy amount' of sleep he now demanded of himself, the number of misses he was going through was becoming alarming. It was a growing concern for him, a constant background level of anxiety as he imagined countless life or death situations that would not go well for him if this continued. Returning to the Korok puzzle, Link had grown incredibly frustrated with his inability to aim accurately, the draw on his bow getting steadily harsher. The result was yet another spectacularly shattered bow.

He concluded, one night sat at a campfire staring off into space, that the arrows were being released at an angle. As his right hand could not sense the connection of the arrow against the bow string, he must be bringing the arrow up and aligning it incorrectly. He also suspected his grip on the string was too lax or his fingers were still in the way of the string snapping back. Not that he would notice.

He may have whined out loud a little, sitting there beside the fire, his horse nudging his head in response to the sudden noise. _I really hate Guardians._

All this time he had been relying on muscle memory born from extensive training he no doubt completed one hundred years ago, but now he was lacking those muscles it was all going to hell. His new limb simply did not have the finesse or practiced dexterity needed to nock and release an arrow from a bow with the timely precision he required.

Link realised he needed a second pair of eyes to watch what his prosthetic arm was doing, while he focused on aiming and holding the bow steady.

There was only one person he could possibly ask to help him with this, someone he respected and who held great mastery over the bow and arrow. _Teba_. Plus, his visit to the Rito Village would tie in nicely to a hike up the Hebra mountains for any wayward Shrines. _Two birds, one st- … ooh._

* * *

After his productive endeavour at Warbler's Nest, he had travelled through Dronoc's Pass until he saw the Flight Range, Teba's popular haunt. Travelling further forward, bundled up in his snowquill armour, Link had spotted the white Rito on the landing. He'd been demonstrating correct form and posture while holding a bow to his son Tulin, who had been watching with enthusiastic attention. This attention was diverted, however, when the child spotted a blonde Hylian coming towards the Flight Range. The Rito's lesson was effectively put on hold while they greeted Link and they both insisted they could go back to training some other time, prompting the Champion to ask what he needed. So, now he stood before the rather intimidating adult Rito, having explained his predicament and how he got himself into it, awaiting the response.

Link's guess about being clipped around the head had been close. Instead, Teba raised a wing up and then swiftly brought it down to slap upon the foolish Hylian's head, ruffling his hair viciously.

"I knew you were crazy, I didn't think you were that crazy!"

Teba eventually relented, huffing at the ridiculousness of the situation and muttering to himself while Tulin giggled at Link's now very fluffy hair.

The century-old Champion sighed and looked contrite as he shrugged as if to say 'Yeah, I know.'

He was considered for a moment longer, the unbroken focus of predatory avian eyes starting to become a little unnerving before Teba hesitantly started to speak.

"…I don't want to insult you and state the obvious but … have you considered just swapping your draw arm?"

Link proceeded to visually demonstrate why this is a problem, reaching for the bow on his back with his left hand while his right drew an arrow from his quiver and moved to nock it. He paused halfway through the motion. Frowning down at his hands, Link started the motions to swap the bow over to his right hand. He was stopped by the Rito warrior's wing coming to rest on his arm.

"Ah, yes. That will take some time to break. Thankfully, I have plenty of that." Teba looked down to his son and ushered him to grab his things and pack them away neatly, before turning back to Link. "Looks like we're going on a bit of a walk. Follow me."

After leaving the Archery Range, they began trudging through the snow in peaceful silence; Teba was a fellow being of few but meaningful words. Tulin, on the other hand, was happily running ahead of them, occasionally kicking up flurries of snow and holding his wings out to the side in mock flight.

"Careful, Tulin. You never know what might be hiding in the snow around here," Teba warned, in a firm but calm tone as they passed the Sha Warvo shrine.

While Link had already dispatched of all of the snow-camouflaged Lizalfoes in the area, on his way to the Flight Range, he didn't wish to undermine Teba's reminder on caution. His thoughts must have been broadcasted, however, as seconds later the Rito warrior leaned down to ask him a question.

"There are no monsters left, are there?"

Tebas side eye glance was rewarded with a small grin from the shorter Hylian. The Rito huffed, humoured, and continued to watch his offspring frolic, comfortable in the knowledge that there was no immediate danger.

The trio headed for a rocky patch that rose out of the snow and Teba told Tulin to watch and listen.

"First, show me your draw. Let me see if I can spot the problem before you tell me your suspicions."

Teba gestured with a single wide wing for Link to get into position and aim at a small cluster of trees between the path and the high-rising cliffs of the Hebra Mountains that encompassed the Flight Range. The Hylian drew back on the bow and held his position.

"Hmm."

Link heard Teba move through the snow toward him, his noise of consideration didn't sound negative or positive. Out of the corner of his eye Link could see Teba lining up an imaginary shot next to him, a wing extended parallel to his arm. The Rito frowned as he relaxed again.

"Your form and stance are perfect. If you were to release the arrow you should hit the tree third furthest from the back there, correct?"

"Yes," Link confirmed, gratified in the knowledge that there wasn't anything wrong with the way he was handling the bow, but not feeling the need to preen at the praise. The Rito warrior was just being factual. "Should I shoot?"

Teba returned to his previous position, next to his son, to watch him take the shot.

"Alright. Go!"

Predictably, the arrow soared past the tree of interest to bounce off sheer rock some feet behind it. Link heaved a massive sigh and turned to look at Teba, but he looked just as confused as Link used to when this problem started.

"That … doesn't make sense. Your aim was there, you had the bow drawn back all the way, your arm was steady, and yet …" Teba couldn't seem to bear finishing the sentence.

"I missed," Link finished for him.

"But the arrow should have hit the tree."

 _Those darn misbehaving arrows,_ Link thought, nearly laughing out loud but he contained himself. Teba was trying to help.

Releasing a disgruntled breath, the white Rito indicated that Link should try lining up a shot whilst holding the bow in his other hand. Link didn't even get to pull the bowstring even half the way back before it became evident that _that_ wouldn't work.

"Perhaps swapping your bow hand is not the best solution after all," Teba assented, scarcely an hour later, eyeing the discarded remains of the bows that had once belonged to Link, and now merely served as firewood.

The first, more fragile bow had splintered in the excessive mechanical grip, followed by a sturdier mid-weight bow, and finally culminating in a Royal Bow that now lay in two pieces. Teba grunted.

"I need to make you a proper bow, not these things you keep finding after one hundred years of being locked in a chest in a river."

The Hylian Champion looked a little embarrassed, but he also didn't want to cause more work for Teba. He opened his mouth to assure him it was fine but the elder beat him to it.

"No arguing, I am making it and you will take it. That way I know you'll actually have a decent bow with good firepower, seeing as you don't seem to have Revali's Bow." Teba eyed him questioningly, "I know Elder Kaneli gave it to you."

Link hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'm saving it for Ganon," and he could see Teba's scrutiny disappear instantly.

"…Good."

There was an easy silence before Link geared himself up to break it.

"There's another reason I don't want to change my draw arm," Link said, holding out his technologically enhanced right limb, palm thrust outward. "I'd stand back if I were you."

Teba raised a single, bold eyebrow, before taking a step back and reaching out with a free wing to push his son even further back. The pair watched, one with an expectant face, the other barely containing their excitement. Their expressions turned to outright incredulity as blue light started to flood out of Links right arm, building up through the snowquill just above the elbow before running down the length of the forearm and collecting at his palm. Link suddenly braced his entire body as the blue light shot out of his hand in a concentrated bolt, blasting into the rocky cliffside. The force of the attack caused the frost-weathered stone to shatter in places, entire slivers of slate falling away from the cliff and falling as rubble onto the snow-laden ground.

The Hylian's posture relaxed as the blue glow dimmed from his arm, returning to a subtle pulse beneath the armoured exterior. He turned to face the two Rito, with a lopsided grin as he waved his right hand at the pair.

"I like keeping this hand free."

There was silence, except for a few more pieces of rock cracking and splintering into the snow. Both Rito appeared stunned, but it was Teba who regained coherency first.

"You could have just led with that point first, you know?"

"Why bother with a bow?! That was _so cool_!" Tulin exploded, rushing over to Link faster than expected and missing the offended look Teba gave him as he rushed past.

"Actually, I find the bow very useful. It's much faster and more versatile." Link explained, whilst letting the eager youngster inspect his right hand, "it also drains a lot of energy to produce a single attack like that."

"Yes, Tulin, archery is an incredibly important part of Rito culture. I also highly doubt you would be granted a machine replacement should you ever lose a wing."

Link winced, and added onto Teba's warning as he said, "yeah, please don't do anything stupid, like me. I was _very_ lucky."

But Tulin, who had only been half listening, was looking very intently at the fingers of Link's mechanical hand, especially the joints of his index and middle fingers.

"Huh? Hey, Link-"

"Master Link. He's a knight, Tulin, be respectful," Teba admonished, as he gently flicked his son's head feathers.

"I don't mind, I'm not actually-"

" _Master_ Link, you've got something stuck in your hand."

Both adults looked down to see Tulin looking up at them, gesturing to the fingers Link would use to grip a bowstring. The Hylian raised both eyebrows as he crouched down to Tulins level so he could see where the young Rito wanted him to look.

"See, there's something caught on the edges here," he pointed with a small wing tip feather to the glowing joints uppermost of his index and middle digits.

Squinting, Link spotted a collection of white and blue fibres lodged under the sheer edges of the knuckles. The area that grips just behind an arrow's fletching. He looked back up at Teba, face incredulous.

"Tulin just solved my problem."

After watching Link fire several more arrows, Teba could confidently say that his son had spotted the cause for the wayward shots. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that in reaching back for an arrow, Link's fingers were brushing across the fletching to nock the arrow in place. The long fletching was caught in the joints of the fingers and upon being released the tearing and disturbance of the fletching was enough to send the arrow off course. The Ritos also noticed that the artificial fingers would sometimes fail to move out of the way of the string fully, causing an obstruction and again sending the arrow off course.

Teba was very proud of his son for being so vigilant, even if he was just being incredibly nosy at the time. Tulin squawked through his giggles as his father ruffled his head feathers.

Watching the pair, relieved that he could now work to fix the problem, Link was suddenly struck by an intrusive thought. _I wonder if I ever had moments like that with my father_ , before he very firmly placed that curiosity into a mental box to open at a later date. _Nope, we're not doing this now._ Instead, he smiled openly as Tulin was finally free of his father's affections and ran to fetch the various arrows that had missed their target.

"Come on," Teba said, already walking back towards the Flight Range as he gestured for Link to follow. "I have a bow to make, for a change."

* * *

Link continued to stay in Rito Village as Teba constructed a brand new bow that could stand up to his 'harsh treatment'. He spent his time traversing the mountains, waiting for the Slate's Shrine Sensor to wake up and direct him to his next challenge. His time was also spent with a Rito named Harth; a warrior that had trained with Teba in their early years before becoming a bow craftsman. He was able to keep a close eye on Link's hand placement as he drew and nocked an arrow over and over, until the motion was practiced enough for his new limb to correctly place and fire an arrow in relation to the rest of his body. He was also able to pull some strings with the village tailor and produced a set of leather finger covers for Link's right hand to prevent the fletching from catching when he drew an arrow.

"Try shooting that," Harth suggested, pointing to a lone tree in the distance one foggy morning.

The tree was met with an arrow, now imbedded perfectly in the centre of its trunk.

Harth accompanied Link on the walk back to the village in order to inform Teba himself of Link's success, and so the little Hylian was rewarded with a brand new bow. It was similar in design to Revali's, except where the Great Eagle Bow had a more realistic feathered effect at the ends of the bow's limbs, this bow was more angular in appearance.

"Mechanical wings for your mechanical arm," Teba explained, looking extremely proud, as he handed it over to Link.

Taking the bow gently, he tested its weight and tensile strength, marveling at the designs carved all along the surface of the yew-wood. It was perfect. He carefully secured the bow to his back, taking the time to make sure it was balanced properly before launching himself at Teba.

Flapping his wings in alarm, the older Rito was unsure how to deal with the Hylian Champion suddenly giving him a furiously determined hug. His dilemma was only added to as Tulin caught sight of them and raced to join in the hug, clinging to Link's shoulders and Teba's armour.

The white Rito looked at Harth in askance, as if daring him to make his situation any worse, but the midnight Rito simply scoffed.

"I'm not helping you."

Teba was therefore left to fend for himself against his son and a small Hylian, who were unwilling to let go anytime soon.

 _ **Next Stop… Gerudo Town**_

* * *

 **This chapter was an adventure. Shout out to PilotInTheAttic for beta'ing and helping me with some facts; turns out I know bugger all about archery.** **Also Teba is definitely the 'Dad Champion'; he looks after Link with occasional stern observations, followed by genuine praise.**

 **FAQ**

 **Why doesn't Link struggle more from losing an arm?**  
I will start off by saying that I have written this series purely as a feel good set of events. There is little to no angst here, there are a tonne of stories already out there for that if that's what you are after. Sure, I could have gone down a more gritty route with deeper consequences but I didn't want to. Like I said, this series is meant to be a nice comfy place, where Link learns to take better care of himself with support from the people who love him (this is the hurt/comfort part)... he just happens to have an arm made from Guardian tech.

 **Shouldn't the arm be giving him more drawbacks, ie, phantom pains, etc?**  
The arm is built from ancient technology that encompasses science and magic. The same tech that created the Divine Beasts who have been shown to form spiritual links with the Champions. I have decided that the arm gives Link no major mental or biological side effects, because why not? I don't want him to suffer more than he already has.

 **Link didn't go through any PTSD?**  
I have zero experience with PTSD, there is no way I could do it justice through writing. Plus, the way I've written Link, he accepts things very much at face value, I argue he couldn't have done everything he did after waking up with no memories in a world that has forgotten him otherwise. If he focuses on an issue for too long he starts to panic and so he shelves the thought for later when he's feeling better and then forgets about it entirely (I am personally guilty of this from time to time)

 **How was the arm constructed so quickly?  
** In the first chapter it was already hinted at that Robbie had already been researching the potential use of the ancient technology in prosthesis. He also has Cherry, an oven with pre-programmed blueprints to make you weapons and armour in mere minutes, which is why the arm took barely any time at all to construct.

 **In FullMetal Alchemist it worked like this-**  
Please don't. It's actually considered quite disrespectful to reduce someones work by simply comparing it to another. Especially, when it's a show whose similarity is _only_ that both protagonists have a prosthetic arm, which quite a lot of other franchises have also done btw. If anything this series was more inspired by Akira (the arm in that is also lost by a laser attack) as I had genuinely forgotten the existence of FMA when writing this.

I hope that solves any confusion over Link's reactions or where you can expect this story to go, cheers!

 **Chapter art can be found under the #Ironic Technology tag on my tumblr sarcastic-sketches**


	5. Last Rounds: Gerudo Town

**In Gerudo Town, the inhabitants admire his limb upgrade and then Link gets lost in the desert...**

* * *

Link's first problem, he realised, was that his Vai clothes did nothing to hide the appearance of his new limb and he highly doubted that he would be able to avoid any attention it garnered. His second problem was the sand, and how it got _everywhere_.

He winced as he heard trapped grit grind in the joint of his mechanical wrist, and glared at all the particles that seemed to be sticking to his right arm by static. If he hadn't needed to walk here in case he found some shrines on the way he would most definitely have teleported by now.

 _No wonder there are no Guardians in the desert._

This gave him a small giggle at the irony. If he recalled correctly, Ganon had once been a man called Ganondorf, a male Gerudo Sorcerer. The fact that his possessed machines were rendered ineffective by sand, from his native region no less, was just too good.

 _Or maybe he's feeling sentimental by not having them here…_

Link squashed that line of thought. Ganon was nothing but sheer hatred and corruption; there wasn't any sentimentality to be found there.

As he approached the guarded entrance way, Link briefly considered using his Hylian hood to hide his right arm, but one of the guards, Merina, had already spotted him.

"Sav'otta little vai, how have-" The guard stopped as she honed in on his right arm.

 _Here we go._

"That," said the second guard, Dorrah, gesturing with her spear slightly towards his right side, "looks really cool."

"That's some very intricate armour you have there. You must have friends in high places," Merina surmised, side eyeing her partner as if to remind the other that they were supposed to have an air of _some_ professionalism.

[Thank you] Link signed, pointedly using his 'armoured' arm.

"Always so polite too, you really are a curious one, little vai. Welcome back," Merina said and tilted her head towards the inner town to indicate he could go in.

On his way to the palace, he spotted Dalia who was gathering some wood chippings in a pot from a wood carving Gerudo sat in the shade by the jewellers. He made a detour towards them, nodding in greeting to the woman whittling a flute before waving to the little girl.

"You came back! My wildberries are sprouting, but the ground keeps drying out too quickly. Marseq suggested I use wood shavings on the ground to protect it from the sun," Dalia explained, excitedly, indicating the Gerudo next to them who blew sawdust off of the flute before speaking to them.

"It's called mulching."

Link cocked his head. He'd never heard of that before and he was unsure how to repeat it with his hands. He stared down at them helplessly for a moment, before looking back up at Marseq. She chuckled.

"My best guess would be to say 'ground cover'," she demonstrated the two hand movements that seamlessly merged together and Link repeated them. "It keeps the moisture in the ground so little Dalia here doesn't need to keep ferrying water to the area. We may be blessed with an infinity pool but constant monitoring and watering gets tiring."

Dalia gave a small whining noise of assent, while Link made a mental note to try this method on the spare patch of land he had beside his house in Hateno.

Suddenly remembering why he had come over in the first place, Link clicked his fingers and then selected a couple of items from the Sheikah Slate. Several wildberries and a durian appeared in his hands, which he then offered to the little girl.

"These are for me?" she asked, placing the pot of wood shavings on the ground to take the fruit gently into her arms, looking overjoyed.

[I'll bring different fruit next time]

Dalia responded by shifting from foot to foot elatedly, and then scampered off to her garden. Unfortunately, in her haste and enthusiasm, she had completely forgotten about the pot she had put down.

Both Link and Marseq looked at each other before the Hylian signed out a quick 'thank you', grabbed the pot and jogged to follow Dalia.

* * *

After helping Dalia prepare a patch of ground to plant the new fruit Link had brought, he had finally arrived at the Palace, where the guards directed him up the stairs. Link found Riju standing at the top of the stairs looking out over the town just outside her room. The Chief turned to watch Link approach her and as he drew nearer she, like everyone else, was drawn to his right arm.

 _To be fair, it is a stark difference from my left._

"And what have you got here?" Riju asked, her voice filled with intense curiosity.

The Champion immediately started to recall the very well worn story of his encounter with a sneaky Guardian and the acquisition of his inorganic right arm from the Sheikah. All the while, Riju was very intently inspecting said arm and rapping her knuckles against the surface to admire it's integrity. Once he had finished, she stopped her investigation and turned her head up to look at him.

"Oh, so that was _you,_ I should have guessed," Riju said, chuckling as she patted Link on the shoulder and turned away to walk into her room.

Link immediately had questions.

"Hold on, how have you heard about that?" He asked, incredulous as he turned around to follow her.

"There was a Gerudo in the area that night. Returning here, she reported to me that she saw a small Sheikah run head long into a Guardian and got surprised by a second one. She had assumed the Sheikah was completely vaporised, 'if the first shot didn't get them the second must have' I believe were her words. Once the Guardians moved away she went over to check the area and said there was nothing there but torched grass. You teleported out I'm assuming," she guessed, eyeing the Sheikah Slate still attached to Link's hip.

"Y-yeah."

"I'm sure she would feel a lot better if you wouldn't mind talking to her for me. I think she feels a little bit guilty because she could only stand and watch."

"Sure, but … aren't you going to say how reckless it was, or call me an idiot?"

"Oh, Link," Riju grinned, turning about to face him, "I don't need a reason to do that."

"…Touché."

* * *

The pair had decided to take a walk around the town to catch up before Link went to explore the desert. All the Gerudo inhabitants seemed pleased to see their Chief walking about. Despite Riju's young age, everyone showed her the utmost respect, and Link found himself automatically walking about two steps behind her. Riju allowed this for all of five minutes before grabbing his right hand and yanking him forward to walk beside her as they moved to walk around the outer walls of the town. He carefully returned her grip on his hand, suddenly missing his lost sense of touch in that limb.

Out here Link was able to take his head gear off and shake his hair out for a bit. It had grown quite long now and he'd already had many offers from Kass' children to braid it for him. So, it made the Hylian Champion laugh when the young Gerudo walking beside him squinted at his hair and told him to get one of the kids to tie it up for him. They enjoyed their companionable stroll around the town; Riju detailing the trials and tribulations of being Chief, and Link similarly demonstrating his adventures as 'Hyrule's last defence'. He excluded the incident with the Guardians this time, however.

On the way back to the palace, so Riju could retrieve Patricia, Link heard the rhythmic footfalls of a patrol and the clinking of metal on metal coming towards them. He attempted to quickly slip the veil back on just as the guards came around the corner of the towns side entrance in front of them.

"They know, Link," Riju whispered, leaning in to speak to him and pushing his hands back down as the guards passed by and they re-entered the town.

"What?" Link blurted, completely blindsided by this revelation.

"Link … it's a bit obvious, but you are also kind of androgynous so some we're giving you the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure they all told you that they would keep your secret," she turned to raise an eyebrow at him, to which he could only nod, weakly. "This entire town is keeping it a secret, and so, everyone knows."

[Men are forbidden] Link signed slowly, still unsure if he should be booking it back out of the town or not.

"Yes, they are, but luckily you are a valued friend of mine and you've never portrayed yourself as particularly masculine anyway. Admittedly, this whole charade at first was so you could get in to talk to me, I can accept that." Riju nodded to him once as they passed under an archway into the main town square. "Desperate times and short notice. But since then, you have always respected our customs and our rules, and never once tried to sneak in or sneak anyone else in. Ideally, I'd like to welcome my friend freely as they are in this town. However, one does not simply change millennia's worth of tradition for a single being and if others outside the town saw you they would start getting ideas."

The young Chief stopped in her track and turned to face Link in one fluid motion, bringing him to an abrupt halt as well. She poked him in the chest. "So, the guards _will_ catch you and throw you out as an example to others should you attempt to enter as a voe. Inside these walls, Link, you are a vai. Does that bother you?"

[No]

Link couldn't fathom why being considered a vai _would_ be a problem, or what the difference was, but he was relieved regardless.

He'd always liked the fact that having typically feminine features here was not seen as something to mock, and none of the Gerudo warriors had seemed to underestimate him or belittle him for his small stature. If he said he was going to do something, they had provided him with the information he needed and wished him luck. Hylian men at the stables, by comparison, would laugh and say he was too weedy or too delicate looking to achieve anything. Link had very nearly smacked one such man around the face with the Master Sword when he had sniggered at the idea that smaller Hylian could have retrieved the legendary sword.

Riju beamed at him.

"Good. However," Riju suddenly looked shrewd as she leaned towards him again, "just who was it that gave you that outfit? It's not exactly suitable attire for one with skin as pale as yours; I'm surprised you haven't already suffered horrendous sunburn. Plus, the idea of someone dressing up a bunch of men in vai outfits to gain entry into the town is … _concerning_ to say the least."

"It was someone in the Bizarre," Link answered, a little guilty that he couldn't remember exactly who it was that had given him the outfit.

"I see. I would advise wearing some more traditionally vai Hylian clothes on your next visit. It wouldn't do any of us any good if you collapsed of heatstroke but you are always welcome inside Gerudo Town, Link… just don't let anyone else outside these walls know. You get a pass, but we won't be extending that benefit of the doubt to just anyone."

Link nodded.

He was quite sure he wouldn't give a benefit of the doubt to most of the men he'd met either. His thoughts immediately went to a certain someone who used to continuously jog around the perimeter of the town. Not that he jogged anymore.

* * *

Patricia was quite an old sand seal, a gift from Riju's mother years ago, and she had gained her scars after tackling an irritable electric lizalfo, but she was far faster than any wild sand seal Link could tame.

"What do you want to do, best out of ten?" Riju taunted, as Link surfed to a stop beside her.

"No, I think I'll just bow down to Patricia's superiority," Link answered, his hand occupied holding the rope tied to his tan coloured sand seal. He inclined his head in reverence toward Patricia, getting a honk in response.

The pair of them stepped off their shields to admire the sky turning various colours as the sun set and Link was incredibly grateful for the heat resistance his Desert Voe armour afforded him. A quick glance at his Sheikah Slate informed him that the temperature had settled around forty five degrees celcius.

 _I wonder how the armour prevents my skin burning, there's certainly enough of it showing_ , Link thought ruefully, looking down at his exposed torso and then back round to his pale calves.

"Riju?" Link asked slowly, turning back to look at her as she inclined her head in his direction. "How come you don't suffer heatstroke?"

Riju started to laugh; it was a small titter at first before it evolved into a hearty guffaw, hands clutching her knees as she doubled over. Link huffed but stood there patiently waiting for her to calm down which she eventually did, back straightening up and wiping tears from her eyes.

"Oh, yes, how does a Gerudo who lives, fights, and dies in the desert become immune to the effects of the sun?"

"I know when you say it like that it sounds obvious, but what do you have that I don't?"

"A different heritage for starters. While Hylians were of course favoured by Hylia, the Gerudo became favourites of Din, who is known for her strong and fiery nature." Riju nudged at Link playfully when he rolled his eyes, "and so we are blessed with higher levels of melanin, which soaks up the sun. We also run hotter than Hylians, so our bodies are already naturally inclined to survive in higher temperatures. But we still require water to compensate for the heat just like every other living being."

The young Chief snorted as she caught sight of Link's face, whose eyes had gone wide with attentiveness, eager to remember her words, before pouting slightly.

"I just burn," Link admitted, scratching the back of his neck as if he could feel the phantom pains of burnt skin.

"That I would love to see," Riju said, smirking as she got back onto her shield.

Buliara, who had been watching the races from the finishing line, had started to come over to them when it became apparent they were not racing anymore. She came to a stop at Riju's shoulders but her attention was on Link, who had also returned to his sand seal.

"I suggest that if you wish to reach the far end of the desert that you leave now," the bodyguard suggested, pointing to the building sand storm in the distance in the dimming light. "Delay any longer and that storm will go from being 'annoying' to 'lethal'."

Link nodded at her advice as he checked to make sure he was once again clipped to his wrangled sand seal, who was snorting into the sand.

"We should do this again, soon. Next time I'll catch a wild seal too, that should be fun!" Riju had a child-like expression of glee at the idea, while Buliara didn't look quite so enthused.

The Hylian gave them both the thumbs up, and then tugged at the rope around the snuffling sand seal to start towards the vast expanse of the Gerudo Desert.

Over an hour later and Link was beginning to suspect that he was lost. While he had originally followed the trail of warrior statues to lead him to a Shrine in the north of the desert, he had not discovered any waypoints to get him to the massive skeleton he'd spotted on the map in the west. He'd decided to don the Ancient Armour helmet, to avoid getting sand in his eyes. The desert surroundings were still visible even under the helmet as they were channelled through the blue glass eye on the front of the helm to a display on the inside. It had taken Link a while to get his eyes to focus on the display and rely on it rather then try to see underneath it. However, it was now proving to be invaluable as he stared into the storm, convinced he should have reached the skeleton already.

 _Who knew travelling in a straight line was so difficult._

His seal did not seem to be particularly bothered, as it continued trudging through the dunes, Link still determinably keeping it going west. Or, at least, what he thought was west. His slate had turned to nothing but disjointed and chaotic shades of blue about twenty minutes ago.

Starting to become a little worried that he had somehow ended up in a magical storm that never ended, in the dark of night no less, his sand seal increased in speed and the gusts of sand became weaker. As the air cleared the gigantic structure of a leviathan skeleton, highlighted by the moon, loomed before him and his Sheikah Slate came alive.

He ignored the incessant beeping of the Slate to release the sand seal and collapse face first into the sand. Static arm be damned.

* * *

Eventually, the beeping became too much to ignore, and he was starting to get cold, the sand beneath him losing any residual heat from the day quickly. So, with great effort, he got back up to his feet and waddled through the sand to reach the Shrine under the skull of the leviathan.

The Hawa Koth Shrine was a series of circuit challenges, all with their own source of electricity and Link had to get creative with some conductive objects to finish the puzzles. Overall, he found it rather fun, and he didn't get electrocuted once this time. Exiting the Shrine, now donning the Snowquill chest armour and headpiece to keep him warm, the Champion spotted a large, green and tangerine coloured flower bud at the other end of the skeleton.

 _Why in Hylia's name is the fourth Great Fairy in the ass-end of the desert?!_

He swapped out his trousers for the sand boots and leggings before making his way over to the under powered Fairy. He had defeated so many Talus at this point and discovered so many treasure chests that the amount of rupees this Fairy needed didn't even phase him. He was aware that he had a hoarding habit, but he wouldn't consider it to be a problem.

The fairy burst out of the pool that unfurled from the closed bulb, stretching sensually with a pleased sound before turning her attention to him. While Link could appreciate that they were attractive, he was more concerned with how predatory they appeared as they eyed him up.

This fairy introduced herself as Tera and had chosen to don attire with an opalescent theme. The various scales and adornments reflected various hues from the shafts of moonlight that peeked though the ribs of the ancient skeleton. It was, quite honestly, dazzling.

"It seems you have already freed all of my sisters, that means I should be able to enhance your clothing to the max!" Tera informed him, graciously.

This was both good news and bad news. The good news was he could now upgrade all of his armour to be as optimal as it could possibly be for his fight into the Castle. The bad news was he still remembered being smothered by many kisses from the last set of upgrades he asked for. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what this fairy would do on the next level.

 _Here goes nothing._

Link brought out his Ancient Armour to show her, and she responded with what materials and what quantities he would need. Naturally, he had all the materials needed to upgrade the entire set and he was quick to show her this. He was, however, less quick about avoiding the hand that suddenly swung out and grabbed him. Tera cuddled him close before dragging him down into the pool with her and Link would never be able to deny that he emitted a loud scream.

The sensation of being dragged through water at a sudden speed, while not registering any temperature change was a bizarre experience. The slight Hylian was suddenly set down onto a soft surface with great care and Link was able to get his breathing back in order to look around.

He had been transported to a grove surrounded by glowing crystals and large flowers. Above him was the open sky with many stars glittering above him, stars he did not recognise. Sprawled out on a bed of gigantic flowers, each petal being bigger than the length of his arm, he extended a hand to poke at one of the flowers and found it to be quite squishy and yielding under his touch. He retracted his hand.

In the centre of the grove was Tera, who was watching him with a smile on her face as he investigated his surroundings.

"Comfy?"

Link redirected his attention to the massive fairy before him, nodding slowly. He _was_ comfortable but he was still apprehensive as to what she was planning. The caution was necessary as a finger came forward to tilt his chin up before he could dodge it.

"Good."

The finger turned to trace lightly over his throat before it dragged down to his now bare chest, he noted with sudden alarm. The fairy continued to follow a path down the length of his torso before she reached his, thankfully, clothed crotch.

Link yelped and propelled himself backwards which resulted in him falling into a gap between the flower petals. Tera's hand quickly withdrew as she leaned forward to see where he had gone. She watched with slight amusement and a bit of concern as the Hylian's face became visible between the flowers and densely packed ground cover, his ears a bright red and eyes wide. When he spotted how close she was to him again he ducked back under the cover the petals afforded him.

"It's alright, I won't hurt you."

She went to pry the flowers apart to pick him back out again but he was following the path of her fingers warily and crossing his legs, knees up to his chest as his face blushed furiously. She pulled her hand back again and instead leaned down closer so she could speak to him quietly.

"I'm sorry, the men that have found me before were usually very receptive. I assumed you … hmm." She leaned back again to give Link some space, "fear not I won't touch you again unless you want me to."

The Champion slowly hauled himself back onto a sturdy flower and settled himself before watching Tera's face. She didn't seem to be lying.

"Why are Great Fairies so _handsy_?"

Tera gave a giggle that sounded like wind chimes.

"We require the subjects of our magic to be pleased, it fuels our kind, and the easiest way to achieve satisfaction for ourselves and our subjects in the past has been to…well." She inclined her head to one side with a small shrug and pointed up and down the length of his body. "It's worked well so far."

Link relaxed marginally, scratching the back of his head, "Oh. Well, I'm not particularly … inclined to that I'm afraid."

He shrugged, hoping he wouldn't have to explain himself further as he has had to in the past to some very insistent parties that were interested in him for some unfathomable reason. This Fairy, however, simply shook her head and her confident smile was back.

"That's fine, I'm sure there are other ways I can satisfy you."

Link was about to congratulate himself on his continued paranoia about Great Fairies wanting to eat him until Tera clicked her fingers and a cup of tea appeared next to him accompanied by a plate of skewers and various bowls of fruit.

"Let's eat and have a chat then shall we. Us Fairies do love a good story or a light hearted bitching session."

His opinion did an immediate turn a round.

 _I love Great Fairies._

 _ **Last Stop… Zora's Domain**_

* * *

 **Here is where sign language is important 1) to cover for his masculine sounding voice, 2) the Gerudo understand Hyrulian sign language. Gorons and Rito cant make the hand signs. Also his concept of gender is :shrug emoji: he has a job to do why does it matter how he interprets himself.**

 **Has anyone else noticed how the majority the Hylian NPCs tend to be quite rude to Link? Also before anyone asks, no there is no wood carver Gerudo called Marseq, I made her up just to introduce the idea of mulching…** **As for the Great Fairies, you can't tell me they would not love an excuse to bring out the tea and biscuits to discuss various juicy goings on from the world of mortals. Link eventually just falls asleep in this place outside of time while the Great Fairies upgrade all of his stuff with the materials he has.**

 **Chapter art can be found under the #Ironic Technology tag on my tumblr sarcastic-sketches**


	6. Last Rounds: Zora's Domain

**Finally at Zora's Domain, Sidon nearly has a heart attack and Link needs advice when he realises he's in love with two people… the two events are not related.  
**

* * *

Smug was definitely the emotion Link was feeling as he strolled up the winding route to Zora's Domain, the Thunder Helm perched on his head.

 _And to think this journey used to be a struggle_ , Link mused as he ignored the shock arrows whizzing over his head. _Ah, the early days._

Prince Sidon had affectionately called the first days Link experienced after his one hundred year coma as his 'hatchling phase'.

"If a hatchling managed to calm Vah Ruta … what does that so about you?"

"You wound me, my dear friend. But see how much you've grown since then, and I thought you were extremely impressive before!"

Link was still trying to bring Sidon around to the idea of friendly ribbing. However, the giant shark man couldn't seem to help himself, and whenever he did manage to make a depreciative comment towards Link he felt compelled to immediately follow it up with positivity. The Zora was far too good for this Kingdom.

The Hylian Champion had already completed the Shrines in this region at the very beginning of his adventure, bar one. Back when he wasn't quite so confident in exploring the wilds as spontaneously as he does now, the Domain had been his safe space. After he had defeated a new and particularly gruelling monster, he would often travel back to the Zora's home just to speak with people who _knew_ him. Not just people claiming to know _what_ he was but _who_ he was; they had memories of him from when he was a child.. The Zora here knew what he was like as a person, before he was hindered with the responsibilities of a Champion and being the wielder of the Master Sword. Link thought that was a truer reflection of himself than the snippets of memories he recovered from the Slate images.

Ironically, it was Sidon, who knew the least about him, whom Link had found a stronger friendship with. Perhaps it was better this way, as the Prince had no prior preconceptions of Link and had made his opinions based on what he saw himself. Despite being the brother of the one Link was intended to marry.

 _Was I to marry her?_

Exploring this new line of thought, he recalled that King Dorephan had known of Mipha's intentions as did Sidon. Mipha had no doubt asked her father for advice and her brother had apparently been very nosy as a child.

 _But was I aware of it?_ Link asked himself, puncturing an Octoroc ahead of him with a perfect arrow before he could be targeted. _Did I have any idea that Mipha was intending to ask me? Would I have said yes?_

He would like to believe that he would have said yes. He had clearly been close to the Zora Princess, and from the few memories he had of her she seemed to be a kind and incredibly fair person. Link considered himself extremely lucky to have had a friend like her. However, he had the strong suspicion that his dedication to the Princess of Hyrule, which had carried over to this era, may not have been solely duty related. Kass' parting song to him had only confirmed his suspicions and had made him both parts elated and guilty.

 _I really hope I wasn't a bastard about it._

If he could assume that his personality of one hundred years ago was the same as the personality he had now, he could easily imagine that he would have had a soft spot for the both of them. Therefore, in an effort to avoid either being hurt, he would have made no advances toward either of them. Plus, they were both Royalty.

 _King Dorephan didn't seem to mind though, he actually seemed pleased about the idea._

Looking down at the Zora Armour he was wearing, running a hand down the side of the material, he admired the impossibly small scales melded together to form the main body, and the larger silver scales that ran over his shoulders and back. It was beautiful and fit him perfectly, he could only imagine how long it must have taken her to make. Link decided that had Mipha presented it to him now, he would have had a hard time not saying 'yes'.

Closing the lid on that concluded string of thoughts, the small Hylian eventually stepped onto the opalescent, smooth stone bridge leading into the heart of Zora's Domain. Link removed the Thunder Helm and watched it breakdown into streams of blue light as it was sucked back into the Slate before he selected the Zora Helm to replace it. Mipha's trident had been left back in his house in Hateno where he knew it would be safe. Karson seemed to favour the tree outside the front of his house and made sure no-one even _thought_ about breaking in.

He passed Rivan and his daughter, Dunma, by the south entrance, waving to them both as he approached. The older Zora beamed at him only to be scolded by his daughter for his unprofessionalism, which caused the dark Zora to sulk. After his daughter had finished her reprimand, he snuck a glance back at Link who walked backwards to sign [Later]. This seemed to appease Rivan who set his gaze forward once again, his daughter none the wiser.

Walking into the Domain, heading for the statue of Mipha, Link surreptitiously scoped out the area trying to locate a very large, red Prince. A task that did not tend to be very difficult. Said Prince, however, had already seen Link walking along the bridge and was now leaning over the edge of the balcony in front of the Throne Room.

"Up here, Link!"

The Hylian looked up at the shout to see Sidon leaning over the railing, a wide, excited grin taking up most of the space on the handsome Zora's face, before he pushed himself away from the edge to jog over the west staircase. Link met the giant shark Zora halfway as he leapt up the stairs to be scooped up and lifted from the ground into a strong hug. With both of their faces smushed up against each other neither noticed Muzu walking down the stairs after Sidon, shaking his head in despair.

"Prince Sidon! Please control yourself, and you!" The Zora Elder shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Link, "stop encouraging his bad habits. I won't have you leading both Royal children astray."

As Link opened his mouth to deny any accusation that this was at all his intention, a bellowing laugh reached them on the stairs.

"You're wasting your time, Muzu!"

King Dorephan had clearly heard the manta Zora's disapproval and only found the situation amusing. Obviously, he recognised there was no curbing his son's rather eccentric and overly exuberant nature.

"Indeed, does my happiness at seeing an old friend offend you, dear Muzu?" Sidon asked, shifting Link until the small Hylian sat atop his left shoulder.

"Yes! Yes, it does," Muzu answered, exasperated, "let me be old and grumpy in peace, honestly!"

Muzu made a shooing motion at the pair of them so he could continue to walk down the stairs, still muttering under his breath.

"Well, my friend," Sidon addressed Link, still perched on his shoulder, "now that we've thoroughly disturbed the peace, how about we go for a walk and catch up? It's been a long time since I've seen you and no doubt you have some wonderful stories to tell!"

Link grinned making a so-so motion with his right hand while he leant back on his left but he noticed that Sidon was now staring cross-eyed and quizzically at his moving hand.

"Link, what happened to your hand?"

The Hylian froze. He had almost forgotten.

* * *

Link had managed to hold off Sidon's curiosity until they had walked some way away from the heart of the Domain. They waded into the lake at the base of the Veiled Falls and Link hopped up onto a large rock to sit and face the Prince. Once he was comfy, Link removed all of his armour leaving only his under-shorts and Sidon was able to clearly see his right arm.

The screech the Prince emitted was probably still heard by fellow Zora in the Domain and the nearby fauna scattered into the water or flew away in a flurry of feathers.

"YOUR _ARM!_ LINK, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO YOU?! WHAT, WHY-"

With his eyes closed at the sudden explosion of sound and wincing against the volume, Link was unable to see Sidon flounder into silence as words abandoned him. He did, however, feel a very strong grip by a clawed hand on his left shoulder and he could feel the weight of Sidon's hold on his right.

" _Link._ "

The Champion opened his eyes cautiously, his vision completely filled by a fretting Zora Prince. With both of his hands, Link gently patted Sidon's forearms for him to let go and then indicated the space on the rock next to him.

"Sit down and I'll tell you."

Once the Prince had sat down obediently, like a child at story-time, the small Hylian divulged the story of his encounter with not one but two Guardians at the same time. Back when he was less Guardian destruction savvy. Once he was finished, Link predictably found that all of his energy from meeting Sidon had now drained from him.

"I see."

The Prince settled into a thoughtful pose, facing forward as he gazed blankly ahead of him. When he reached a conclusion to his thoughts, he turned to his Hylian friend.

"I take it you have not encountered similar Guardian troubles since?"

Blonde hair swished wildly as Link shook his head.

"And you are now better prepared for such confrontations?"

A nod this time.

Sidon clapped his hands once in approval, "then the only thing that can be done here is to take this as a learning experience. A rather harsh one, yes, but you were lucky enough to grow from this encounter and even improve your situation, perhaps?"

As Sidon clicked a claw against the slate-like surface of the inorganic limb and Link responded with an enthusiastic nod.

"Then once again, I can only be impressed with your perseverance and recovery!"

The Prince spread his arms wide in his signature motion for congratulations, while Link ducked his head, ears burning.

They continued to talk, with small Hylian's clothes back on, discussing orders of business within the Domain, before their chat took a more personal turn. Sidon was hitting the age where suitors were becoming bolder in their intentions, and Link could only extend a sympathetic arm in response while the Zora deflated. King Dorephan was keeping out of his son's business by the sounds of it, but the occasional suggestive comment was making Sidon want to crawl under a rock and stay there.

"I should just say I eloped with you. You have a lake by your house don't you? I could just live there."

Sidon was laughing to show he was joking but the subject had veered onto a track of thought Link had been subconsciously struggling with for a while. The lid he had closed earlier that day was re-opened, and now that Link was forced to examine the contents again the feeling of unease was back. He butted the side of his head against Sidon's arm as he heaved a huge sigh, his shoulders dropping in defeat.

[I'm falling in love with Princess Zelda] He signed the letter 'Z' in place of 'Zelda', and winced as he shuffled against the Prince's side to turn sideways and look at Mipha's statue in the centre of Zora's Domain. [But, I think I still love Mipha]

The Champion of Hyrule spelled out her name for Sidon, before following it up with the same motion that the Zora Princess had made with her hands to send Link her healing grace. He held his hands out before him for a moment before twisting forward again and burying his face in his hands. If the Prince thought this was a sudden jump in the conversation he made no comment on it.

"This is … a problem?" Sidon asked, genuine confusion colouring his voice.

[Is it not?] Link asked, resurfacing from his palms so he could use his hands, a truly miserable and troubled expression on his face. [I thought you could only love one person at a time]

"Oh," Sidon responded, sounding surprised. "Well, while I cannot speak for Princess Zelda, I doubt your situation would have been a problem from Mipha's point of view. Polyamory is very common among the Zora."

The blonde Hylian rolled his head back to look up at Sidon.

"What?"

"Mipha only wished for you to be happy," Sidon said, emphatically. "The fact that you returned her love and wished the same happiness for her would have brought her great joy. But, if it would have made you uncomfortable being able to only love the one of them, I'm sure Mipha would have encouraged you to say something to Princess Zelda also. One cannot often help who they develop feelings for. You, of course, do not remember or perhaps you never knew, but the two were close friends. Both being Princesses of neighbouring regions and similar in growth stages they were often encouraged to socialise; less so once duties to their Kingdoms became an all absorbing factor. In their younger years, however, they drew great strengths from their companionship. Mipha's spirit will not resent you for the way you have developed as a person, Link. She cared for you far too much for that."

Sidon patted Link on the back delicately while the Hylian stared up at him, mouth open.

"Do you feel better?"

Link began to nod slowly before picking up in speed and signing out [Thank you] as his eyes became very watery and his jaw clenched shut.

"You are very welcome, my most treasured friend."

* * *

Eventually, Link remembered why he was in the Domain. He loved Sidon, but he had a mission and he was currently on one hundred and nineteen shrines. There was a feeling that the Shrine he had left, by Veiled Falls, was the last one he needed. He just needed to find the damn Trident.

"You said he dropped it off the bridge?"

Link nodded as Sidon peered over the railing of the west bridge, down to the dark waters below. The Hylian had no chance of being able to find the Ceremonial Trident in the depths of those waters; his lung capacity was just abysmal. Sidon had offered to dive down and retrieve it for him, but Link argued that it could have been washed downstream by now. The excess currents caused by Vah Ruta's rage would have dislodged it from the river bed and swept it off who knew where. Sidon could be looking for _days_.

The pair asked Gruve if he had spotted the ceremonial piece at any point during his diving ventures, but the blue Zora had been sad to say he hadn't. So, they returned to the bridge to peer out over the water once more.

"If these Shrines were made over ten thousand years ago, why does this one need a trident that was made in the last century?"

Sidon agreed that Link made a good observation but pointed out that the Ceremonial Trident was based on Mipha's Lightscale.

"It's a weapon that once belonged to my mother in her youth, and her mother before her. Indeed, the Champion's Festival is held at Veiled Falls due to that locations history for various celebrations that utilise the pedestal there. As such, the Lightscale has always stayed with the Zora Princess who would lead the ceremonies," Sidon informed his companion, a fond smile on his features as he reminisced on his people's history.

"I'll keep it safe until you have a daughter then, huh?" Link said, grinning a little too hard as Sidon choked in response.

The Champion could have just collected said Lightscale Trident from his house, and tried his luck with that but the Ceremonial version was clearly mocking him, wherever it was. He was determined to find it, not just because this was the final shrine but because the Zora's needed it for their festival too. The Hylian also had the sneaking suspicion that the Monks were acutely aware of current events and changed the conditions needed to gain entry to the shrines to provide an extra challenge.

Just as Link was ready to take a swim all the way back down the river, Sidon tapped him gently on the shoulder. Link turned around and saw that Sidon looked unusually hesitant.

"I do not wish to infer that I doubt your intelligence, but the Trident is made of metal. Don't you have the ability to find metal objects on that device of yours?" Sidon gestured to his friend's hip with a solitary claw.

Link stared at the tentatively smiling Prince for several seconds, before leaning heavily against the bridge railing to stare at the river for yet more seconds, before he finally sagged to the floor.

 _Of course. Magnesis._

* * *

After diving down to the waters below, and standing on the rocky base of the Domain, Link was able to locate a glowing trident shape in the water. He grabbed it and hauled it up to the surface where Sidon was able to confirm that it was in fact the Ceremonial Trident.

Relieved to finally have the weapon physically in his hands Link raced back up to the Veiled Falls, Sidon just managing to keep up with him. Now, the pair encountered another problem. Simply stabbing the orange glowing pedestal had done nothing, and Sidon allowed himself a moment to watch his friend repeatedly poke at the pedestal with the Trident from various angles before he mentioned it had to be done from a height.

"Oh, _now_ you understand teasing."

The next half an hour was spent launching Link into the air. Either the small Hylian jumped off from Sidon's shoulders or the Prince threw his friend up. But even after landing several bull's-eyes, Trident prongs very firmly in the centre of the pedestal, it still refused to light up blue.

 _I have to jump off the waterfall, don't I?_

While the height was not that intimidating, Link knew that jumping clean off it would hurt, especially landing on the hard and unforgiving pedestal. He would need to paraglide after a jump and then strike down with the Trident. He had made trickier shots before.

With a shrug, the Zora armour wearing Hylian charged up the waterfall and jettisoned himself into the air from the top. Flicking out the paraglider with a practiced motion, Link slowly steered himself over the rippling orange glow. He could see Sidon, out of the corner of his eye, waiting below him, his tail fin flicking back and forth in anticipation. When he was just behind the centre of the pedestal, Link collapsed the glider and swung the Ceremonial Trident from his back to bear it straight down.

The centre prong of the Trident rested directly in the centre of the ancient target beneath the water, and the Champion of Hyrule was rewarded by a blue glow.

Sidon was cheering loudly as Link fell to his knees and threw his arms up in joy, ignoring the rumbling as the last Shrine in the kingdom unearthed itself by the side of the lake.

When Link finally got himself back to his feet he found Sidon eagerly inspecting the new structure that had appeared, tapping at the outer hull with his claws and peering at the writing on the closed off entry way. The Slate was placed against the Shrine reader with a clink and Link watched Sidon as the entry way opened up before them. The Prince looked absolutely enthralled.

 _I'll have to bring the Princess to meet him; they can get excited about this together._

"I'll only be gone a couple of minutes. Usually Shrines activated after a challenge will just have a Monk's Blessing inside, and if this _is_ the last one, that means no more traps or puzzles for me." Link explained it with an air of cheeriness but he found that he was a little disappointed on the inside. He'd discovered that he quite enjoyed a good challenge.

With a small wave, Link disappeared down into the Shrine. Five minutes later, Link returned, noting that Sidon had not moved from his spot directly in front the entrance. He approached the patiently waiting shark Zora and flipped him a thumbs up, a smile accompanying the gesture.

"You are all finished?" Sidon bent down to place his hands on Link's shoulders, "I have no words for how impressed I am with you. You had to endure many trials, travel great distances, and exhibit such dedication to completing this goal. I really cannot … I'm getting embarrassing now, yes?"

Link nodded a little weakly, arms kept straight and rigid by his sides as he stood there uncomfortably.

"I recognise that you did this for a noble cause. I doubt there are many more noble quests than trying to save a Princess from a century of imprisonment, but … please, take a moment to be proud of yourself."

Sidon looked at his friend imploringly, desperate for him to come to terms with the fact that these quests were not for those of an average calibre. Many times the Prince had watched his small friend simply brush off some of his most impressive feats, as if they were not worthy of note. Granted, such tasks had now become the norm for the blonde Hylian, which is why Sidon insisted on reminding him of how appreciated he was and how much he valued the Champion.

Link, as always, merely cocked his head to the side and then nodded in vague agreement. It was never that Link didn't realise just how demanding his tasks were, or how he always seemed to be the only person that could do it. It was just that Link didn't want to acknowledge how he was being singled out for these quests. He was just a regular blooded Hylian, and he would not be around forever. If people believed that the only reason he could do the things he did was because he was somehow 'different' or 'special', then no-one else would believe it possible for them to do the same. Admittedly, there were some things Link did that he didn't want anyone else repeating, but overall, his skills came from experience and training.

As he put his hands on top of Sidon's to gently remove them from his shoulders, he was once again unsure of how best to explain himself. So, he said nothing.

Concealing a small sigh through his gills the Prince decided to change the subject.

"Did the Monks have anything for you? You said there might be some sort of event to mark the completion of all the shrines?"

Clicking his fingers, Link recalled the message he received from the Monk in the Dagah Keek Shrine

[I must go to the Forgotten Temple. They have something for me there]

"I'll wait here for you, my friend," Sidon announced, forming determined fists in front of chest.

[It will take some time] Link signed, looking unsure.

"I shall be here when you return. The view up here is wonderful and I never truly get a chance to appreciate it from this view." The Prince made a sweeping gesture with one arm at the returning wildlife and rain polished stone all around them that seemed to shift in colour from the sun.

The Hylian shook his head fondly before giving him the 'ok' signal and tapping the Sheikah Slate for the Forgotten Temple shrine.

Sidon stood there, waiting for his friend to return while he watched frogs start to sing at the edges of the water, herons walk carefully across the water logged grass, and listened to the wind blow in between the shard like edges of the cliffs.

He was admiring nature for about half an hour before he heard the whirring chime of Link materialising on the shrine platform behind him. Sidon turned around to face his friend but immediately took a couple of steps back as the small Hylian leapt off the shrine and splashed into the water in front of him.

"Look! Shorts!"

Link proceeded to then kick around in the water, his legs bare except for his leather boots and a pair of dark blue shorts that could be seen just past the end of the Champion's Tunic. Once again, nature was disturbed as the frogs stopped singing and swam for cover while the herons took flight to escape the energetic blonde.

When Sidon finally gathered himself enough to take a hold of Link before he jettisoned himself off the cliff edge in his excitement, the Hylian was grinning but soaking wet. He explained that upon visiting the Goddess statue in the Forgotten Temple he was gifted with a green outfit that was referred to as clothes for the Hero of the Wild.

"Apparently, my past incarnations wore outfits similar to the one given to me, but…" Link pulled at his tunic, which was sticking to him, "I've grown quite attached to this. So, I'm debating the hat and keeping the shorts on."

He stuck a leg out to revel in the feeling of freedom that came with having uncovered legs, before frowning.

"I did feel a bit guilty dying it blue though."

Sidon observed his friend, realising that seeing Link so happy was quite a pleasing sight and felt honoured that the Champion was comfortable enough around him to be so emotive. However, there was something else that caught Sidon's attention.

"My dear friend, I don't mean to criticise the way you dress, but I can't help but notice that you are gradually wearing less and less."

The shirt that used to be worn under the blue tunic was nowhere to be seen, leaving his arms open to the elements, except for the wrapping and arm guard on his left forearm. His Shiekah built right arm clearly visible.

"Are you eventually going to arrive in our Domain in nothing but your under-shorts?"

"Why stop there? Also, you," Link wiggled a finger up and down to indicate the appearance of the Zora Prince, "have no room to talk."

"Link, please."

* * *

 **Terminating at Zora's Domain sounded so sinister, but it just means that Link's shrine hunting quest has finally come to an end. This man is ready for a barbeque at Hyrule Castle folks.**

 **Any feedback would really help me as a creator so I can translate my ideas into a better format for people to enjoy, cheers!**

 **Chapter art can be found under the #Ironic Technology tag on my tumblr sarcastic-sketches**


	7. Storming the Castle

**The Princess has waited over one hundred years for Link to re-join her in the fight against Calamity Ganon and now Link is, physically, the most prepared he can possibly be. He may still not be complete mentally but he is singularly determined to make sure Zelda gets to walk out of that Castle alive.**

 **Plus, he has a score to settle with those damned Guardians and the demon controlling them.**

* * *

It was finally time to return to Hyrule Castle.

The darkness-sealing sword was on his back, the various martial skills gained from all over the Kingdom were now well practiced, he had studied the layout of the Castle intensely, and all the Divine Beasts were ready to go. He'd returned to Hateno to collect the other Champions signature weapons and decided to visit Purah one last time for any additional details she could give about the layout of the castle.

He had not expected Robbie to be there too, along with his wife.

"Oh, Linky! What great timing," Purah welcomed, dropping down from her perch on her desk. She grabbed his right hand to drag him over to the congregation of people in the middle of her lab, even though he now knew she also had a lab on a level below their feet.

He nodded in greeting to Symin and Jerrin before turning to face the two directors.

"We were just having our annual meeting to share what progress we've made on the Sheikah technology," Purah explained, always happy to share her knowledge. _Show off, more like._

"While we may not fully understand the technology's original purpose or mechanisms, we have been able to build from it and utilise it for our own purposes," Robbie continued.

Link grinned as he used his right hand specifically to sign [I'll say]

"Tired already?" Purah asked, eyeing the hand signals, while Robbie looked proud of himself.

[It's Castle Day tomorrow] Link informed them, with a shake of his head. His unease and apprehension was making him extremely uncomfortable and unwilling to even imagine speaking out loud.

"It is?!" both Sheikah researchers exclaimed, before sharing looks of hesitation.

"You know, I'm sure there are more Shrines out there, I can try to make the sensor stronger," Purah suggested.

"I can also start programming more blueprints for stronger Ancient weapons," Robbie chimed in, eagerly.

The Hylian Champion looked between the two of them, confused, before turning to the other two Hylians in the room for an explanation. None was forthcoming from that sector.

[Why delay? I'm finally ready] While the task of breaching the Castle was incredibly daunting, he knew without a doubt that he was as prepared for this battle as he could be. Besides…

"She's waited long enough," he said, quietly.

The two researchers looked guilty and torn, but it was Jerrin that finally stepped forward.

"They're worried about you," she said, as if it should be obvious.

"Yeah, Link," Symin joined in, "we all know you're the only one who can get the Princess out of there, and this is what you've been working towards ever since you woke up… But you're about to walk into the most dangerous place in the entire Kingdom."

The atmosphere became sombre quickly, the members of the room recalling many a tale of curious adventurers trying to breach the Castle in recent months, and never coming back out. Then again, none of them had been Link.

"Oh, look at us! Here we are, expecting the worse, when he's probably going to storm in there, kick Ganon in the ass and have the Princess back home safe and sound before the day is out," Robbie insisted, crossing his arms as if that were the end of the matter.

"You do have a habit of exceeding expectations," Purah agreed, looking at Link slyly. But then she noticed that he suddenly looked unsure of something. "What is it, Linky? Don't think we don't believe in you, we don't doubt you for a second!"

The young Hylian made several aborted gestures to begin signing before he raised a determined hand [What if I don't bring her back?]

"What?" Robbie asked, blankly.

"Now look what you've done," Purah said angrily, turning on Symin who took a step back in alarm. "Way to go, Symin, you've made him doubt himself!"

"I-I didn't mean to-"

[No]

The single, abrupt, hurried gesture gathered everyone's attention before a stream of signs were created from Link's agile hands.

[Champions trapped in Divine Beasts disappeared. Princess trapped in Castle, will she disappear?]

There was silence in the lab, as if none of them had truly considered this being a viable scenario, but to Link, it had seemed only logical. It would fit the pattern of the other Champions, the Castle acting as the Princess' final battle ground instead of a Divine Beast. While he dearly hoped he would be able to actually meet the Princess, he knew it would be wiser to expect her to be freed into the afterlife. One hundred years against a legendary recurring evil was a tall order, even for one with the blood of a Goddess. _I have come to this conclusion over and over but the realisation never stops making me feel cold. I really hope I'm wrong._

"I would be lying if I said I hadn't considered it, but her situation was different than the Champions. They fell in combat; if the Princess had fallen wouldn't Ganon have been free to destroy Hyrule?" Robbie asked.

"We won't truly know until you defeat him, but we have to hope for the best," Purah insisted. "You didn't tell my sister about this, did you?"

Link shook his head.

"That's good; she probably would have hit you with a pillow and told you that thinking such negative thoughts won't get you anywhere."

The small Hylian had to laugh at this, for it was the exact reason he had not broached his worries with the Sheikah Matriarch.

[You're right. Thinking positive is good; I need a reason to fight]

"That's it! Besides, you're taking the fight to him this time. He's lost his element of surprise and you've had practice with the Blights. None of us were ready last time," Robbie said, sounding a bit downhearted towards the end.

[Plus, I now have this] Link quickly patted his right forearm before returning to sign [I'll remember to punch Ganon in the face with my-]

He paused, frozen in place with his left hand on his right upper arm for a couple of seconds before flowing into more signals, [-arm of ancient technology]

"…We really need a name for this material," Robbie said, breaking the oppressive mood of the room.

[You really do] Link agreed, having never really decided on a consistent way to sign a descriptor for his new limb.

"What? Getting tired of saying 'Ancient Sheikah Tech Composite'?" Purah teased, making the phrase sound effortless, but Link already insisted on as few syllables as possible as it was.

[Signing that is difficult too]

"Hmm, well, how about … Sheikite!" Robbie announced, striking a pose as he did so.

Link and Purah gave each other a _look,_ while Jerrin shook her head at the heavens as she turned away from the conversation.

[Really?] The Hylian signalled, raising an eyebrow to show he wasn't convinced and hoping the older Sheikah wasn't serious.

"Well, what would you two call it then?" Robbie huffed, hands on his hips as he waited for a better name.

Link scratched the back of his head as he shrugged; his horse could already attest to the fact that he was absolutely dreadful at naming things. Goddesses forbid he ever had children.

Purah, however, gave a little giggle from her perch on the chair.

"How's this for you. Guardium!" She punctuated her idea with a 'snappity-snap' and the accompanying hand motions.

"… damn, that's good," Link admitted, experimenting with the hand signals for 'guardian' and 'metal'.

He gave Robbie an apologetic look as an afterthought, causing the older man to sniff in mock offence.

"Fine. Take her side. I see how it is."

* * *

Materialising on the Katah Chuki shrine platform in the early hours of the morning, Link immediately donned the cap he'd been given by the Goddesses. When one receives a gift from the almighty powers that be, it's rude to not appreciate it. Also, he thought it was cool, regardless of anyone else's opinions. He would have gone with the full outfit but the Champion shirt seemed fitting for this battle and he wasn't about to give up the shorts.

A quick visit to Cotera as he swung by Kakariko Village to say goodbye to Impa and his new armour set had been fully upgraded. This had given him the chance to unwind a little in the fairy grove Cotera transported him to as he listened to her gripe about various fairy matters while she worked on his armour. Previously, Link had felt a little guilty as he constantly bothered the three elemental dragons, but he now considered his hoarding instincts to be incredibly beneficial. Being able to hand over numerous scales, fangs, and horn shards on the spot was very satisfying.

He took a couple of minutes to scope out the area around the shrine, which was what he liked to call the 'danger zone', before he continued on into the 'death zone'. He'd attempted to scout out the castle before today, on his way to Rito Village, but hadn't gotten further than the docks area on the north side of the Castle. He'd walked around the walkways and wooden piers, killed the all the lizalfos, claimed a Flameblade and completed a Shrine. But he had been unable to find a way _out_ of the docks, besides swimming back into the moat, even though the map on the Slate seemed to suggest there was a passage that led up and out.

While Hyrule Castle was the death zone, Hyrule Fields was the danger zone; crawling with Stalkers, various other uglies, and then the unrelenting Yiga Clan. The original plan he had was to try and sneak into the Castle via the Shrine and climb up the back to the Sanctum. But there was an image left on the slate that Link had not yet visited and he could only assume at this point that the memory was somewhere in the Castle. He also just wasn't feeling stealth right now. It was time to bust down the front door.

 _Knock, knock Ganon._

Link walked east off the platform of the shrine and headed towards a wall he saw between the hills around him. As he neared, a Skywatcher flew past the wall and out of sight. He eyed up the hills to the side of him before scrambling up one to get a better vantage point.

Before him, was what must be the ruins of Castle Town. The stone foundations of buildings remained to show where a civilisation had once stood and between them all thorns of malice punctured up through the ground. The infected looking tar clumped in patches between the spikes, spreading across the floor in tacky webs. A Stalker was scuttling back and forth in his direct line of sight, causing Link to crouch and creep forward slowly. He wasn't sure how good its eyesight was, but some Guardians he knew from experience had some extreme range. The Skywatcher hadn't returned in a while, which made him uneasy, but he had to move soon.

As he made to slide down the hill and onto the wall, he heard the sound of a pile of paper exploding and a Yiga archer dropped down in front of him. Most definitely within the Guardian's range now, Link charged at the archer bringing forward the Lightscale Trident to repeatedly stab the crimson clad warrior. He managed to push his assailant down onto the walkway of the wall and the Yiga member disappeared in defeat, leaving behind the usual cluster of bananas and assorted rupees. Link slid across the floor behind the parapet until he reached the end of the walkway and peered over the edge to watch the Guardian, just as it turned to watch him.

Ducking back down quickly, he heard the whirring of the automaton pick up in speed, and the clicking of its legs got louder as it came over to inspect the wall more closely. Link let the Guardian inside the town walls observe the stone work to its little core's content, as he slowly spun around to see what lay on the other side of the wall behind him. Another Stalker patrolling the road leading into the town and a decayed Guardian stuck in the hill he'd just climbed over.

He reached for the Sheikah Slate and started swiping through all his items to find what he was looking for; clearly speed was of the essence here.

Speed was not of the essence here, because all of his travel routes were blocked by spikes, contagious jam, glowing eyes Link was pretty sure Ganon was watching him through, and the occasional sleeping Guardian.

After jumping from the wall and making a mad dash across the destroyed town, the Skywatcher came back. The noise it made as it locked onto him alerted the Stalker and it too gave chase. Link had learned that Skywatchers tended to give up if you went far enough outside of their route, Stalkers, on the other hand, would follow you until they lost sight of you.

 _What did I ever do to-_

Link dropped and slid to the left to avoid a laser shot by the Stalker. The explosion of dirt and stone kicked up from the impact shunted Link to the side, narrowly missing being sent bodily into a pool of malice. Crawling back up to his hands and knees, he pressed himself against the corner of a wooden structure jutting out from the ground. He had no idea what this structure had once been, but there was only the floor and the few planks of wall he was currently using to hide behind left.

During the explosion the Guardian lost direct line of sight and it came to stand about two feet away from the Hylians hiding place. The agitated red glow still permeated throughout its body as it searched for him, ignoring a second Stalker that came into view, radiating a calm blue.

Link crouched lower as he eyed both Guardians warily, waiting for one to turn around so he could ram the Master Sword through the eye of the other. The blue guardian did eventually turn away, walking off toward the outer wall, but the first guardian came around the corner of wood, one leg now placed as an arch directly over Link's head.

 _Well, if you insist,_ Link thought before driving the Master Sword straight up, cleaving the metal leg in half and watching sparks fly above him. Shocked and confused the Guardian tilted, nearly falling into the malice itself, as it tried to detect what had attacked it. It was more than enough time for Link to dart in, remove its remaining legs and destroy the structural integrity of the hull.

Deftly skirting around the other mobile Guardian, the last remaining Champion set his sights on the bridge leading up to the Castle. There was a large amount of malice between him and his goal. He made an attempt to grit his teeth and charge through it but his first step into the tar sent a nauseating pain straight through him and he was very nearly sick.

Retching, he stumbled back out and instead started to look for a cluster of spikes housing a single eye at its centre, locating one to his left. Popping the eye through a gap in the spikes, the solid protrusions of calamity and surrounding contagion disappeared into wisps of smoke, clearing the way for Link to begin another sprint. Flying down the stairs he heard the grinding gears of a Guardian waking up and Link reached a river of tar he could not pass.

Had Link the energy to spare, he would have made an exaggerated eye roll. _Of course._

Skidding around in a wide arc, Link brought his shield up as he came to face the Guardian he'd just disturbed. Flinging the beam of energy back into the sentinels face, Link scrolled through the Sheikah Slate with practiced motions to reach his gear and selected the Ancient Armour.

He was thoroughly done with all these inconspicuous Guardians he kept missing. He raised his right arm, blue light gathering about him and he faced his palm outward. The metal demon before him re-gathered itself just as Link had a final coherent thought before the storm.

 _I swear to Farore, I am going to destroy_ _every single last one_ _of these things I find._

Half an hour later and Link was standing in front of a set of large metal doors that barred entrance to Hyrule Castle, carrying a lot more Guardian parts on him than he had previously. The rising sun cast shadows that contrasted against the warm hues tinting the smooth surface of the heavy metallic gates.

 _Probably didn't consider magnesis runes when they built these, I suppose,_ Link mused, selecting said rune on the Slate and opening the doors with ease. He deflected a beam sent by a decayed Guardian up the path before him and eyed the building straight in front of him.

 _I can climb that,_ the spontaneous Hylian decided as he crammed some rice and meat into his mouth. He started to hike himself up the building that the Sheikah Slate now pronounced was the Observation Room. If Link didn't know any better, he'd say the Slate had some memory problems too as it only seemed to name areas once he'd visited them. He surmised that this is where guards would overlook anyone entering into the Castle grounds. Had he ever stood there watching over people coming and going through those metal doors one hundred years ago?

 _Probably._

Halfway up, a previously dimmed out Guardian locked onto him and Link went from careful climbing to reckless leaps up the stone wall. He avoided the searing attack by about a metre as he pulled himself up over the observation balcony. He sat down dejectedly when he saw that the entrance to the room beyond was blocked by a solid mass of malice; with no eye to puncture in sight.

Casting his gaze skyward, he assessed the wall before him and deemed it to also be climbable. Before he started his ascent this time, however, he turned around and shot an ancient arrow at the Guardian that had nearly knocked him off the wall on the way up.

Reaching the top and clambering up onto the walkway of a wall surrounding the Castle courtyards, Link noticed that the entire place was infested with the gurgling, sickly crimson mess of the Calamity. He wrinkled his nose at all the clumps and swathes of it blocking the pathways up to the heart of the Castle, the Sanctum. His ultimate goal.

As he was surveying the courtyard, the Champion spotted a Skywatcher circling a lone tower connected to the main body of the castle by a bridge of stone.

 _Oh, what are you guarding?_

Ganon may as well have set off fireworks from the tower to gain Link's attention. As if he wasn't going to attempt climbing it anyway.

* * *

Link scanned the image on the slate and then looked up at his surroundings from where he stood on the bridge between Zelda's room and her study. The Moblin in her room had been a surprise and he had felt a rush of irritation at it being there, which inevitably led to its quick but grisly death. Her diary had also been a surprise. After finding her research notes in the tower he had expected this book to be filled with similar thoughts. Once he had realised what he was actually reading, he'd been too curious about their dynamic to stop.

He shuffled where he stood, taking a step back and then another, trying to get the image recorded in the slate to match what he saw. Minus all the destruction and carnage, of course. Another step back must have been all it took as the now familiar feeling of déjà vu hit him and he was whisked away from his body of the present to re-witness events that occurred a century ago.

Coming back to himself, Link was half tempted to go back to the Great Plataeu, climb the Temple of Time again and demand the old man - the _King_ \- show himself so that Link could yell at him. After all, what could a ghost do but stand there and listen to a small and very angry Hylian Knight.

 _She had looked so happy,_ Link lamented, turning his gaze down to the courtyard below him. _She loved being involved with new discoveries about the Guardians, and she seemed to like sharing what she had learned too._

The Champion had to wonder if the King had ever considered that what he was doing was more likely to be choking his daughter rather than focusing her. Taking away the very activity she used as a way of escape, to actually express who she was as a person and not just a product of destiny, must have crushed her. Not to mention how demoralising the speech had been. He wondered what the previous Link had done after the King had left. Had he tried to console her, or had Zelda been adamant about dealing with it by herself to not appear weak?

Clearly, past him had a lot more self control than he currently possessed. He doubted he would have been able to keep his mouth shut when faced which such blatant injustice.

He had been planning to snoop about the castle some more, find more weapons and perhaps more clues into his past life. Now, he was singularly motivated to getting the Princess as far away from this place as possible. So, with the aid of Revali to sail over the spreading pools of calamity, Daruk to reflect wayward lasers from yet more hidden Guardians, and Urbosa to annihilate monsters that he found along his war path the last Knight of Hyrule reached the Sanctum. Thankfully, Mipha had not been needed as of yet but if he concentrated, he could feel her; ready and waiting.

Link climbed the stairs just as the sun was rising, the fiery glow from the horizon filtered through the stained glass windows set in the back of the room, creating blocks of light across the floor. The sight was so beautiful he was almost completely distracted from what was festering on the ceiling.

"Link…"

A voice he hadn't heard since the last Blood Moon echoed inside and around him. He turned on the spot, trying in vain to locate the source of the voice, the Princess, but instead he saw evidence of malice dripping down from above him. He tilted his head to look.

It was hideous.

A grotesque mockery of the Sheikah architecture he had seen upon waking up in the Shrine of Resurrection. It had been the first sights he remembered in this new era, but this before him was a corrupted mess of pulsating viscera and inorganic tubing, culminating into a bulb in the centre. It was moving.

"Link … I'm sorry. My power isn't strong enough. I can't … I can't hold him-"

Focused energy pierced through the bulb, scoring deep scars into the room across the walls and floor, the beams barely missing him. The explosion of light had split the bulb; segments highlighted by the energy from within were suddenly torn apart as _something_ burst out of its confines and dropped. Its weight was enough to shatter the floor on impact, propelling Link up on a section of broken marble and stone before it too slid into the uncovered cavern beneath the Sanctum.

His quick reflexes brought up the glider so he could drift safely down; giving him time to observe whatever it was that had just been birthed. His assessment was swift.

 _By the powers that be, that thing is ugly._

It was most definitely not the smoke demon he had been expecting to go up against. An abomination of flesh comprised of malice and absorbed aspects of Sheikah technology twisted below him. Link descended down to the ground, skidding to a stop slightly on the intricate floor of the ancient cavern, and braced for the beast to turn around. When it finally did, he rather wished it hadn't, but he did notice one thing of import.

 _This is Calamity Ganon… and it has a face._

Link clicked his prosthetic wrist before forming a secure and tight fist with his right hand. He had made a promise and he was damn well going to deliver on it, but before he could move to do so he felt a pulse of energy from his spirit companions, suddenly noticing their distance. He looked up a second before the monstrosity before him also turned its stare to the opening above them.

A brilliant, bright blue light was screaming down towards them, through the chute they had fallen down. The very ground they stood upon was shaking with such force that Link nearly fell over as the area was assaulted by the Divine Beasts attacks. The light breached the cavern and splintered into millions of energy shots that rained down onto Ganon. It screamed as the bolts of blue ripped through its form, forcing it to writhe and collapse to the ground in agony, but Link himself was left unscathed.

 _Thank you._

He felt a gentle tug at his core as the Champions responded to him, and he knew they were all back with him again. The beast before him was struggling to its legs once more, brandishing a large, red hot blade, and with multiple equally unpleasant limbs protruding from it's back. Reaching behind him, he grabbed the Master Sword and swung it out to the side of him, the blade igniting with an ethereal glow.

"Bring it."

Ganon responded with another high pitched scream, swiping the massive blade at Link's body and their long awaited battle commenced. While the blade looked heavy and cumbersome it was certainly not slow, as it forced Link to black flip so he wasn't cut in half and then set on fire.

Deciding that close combat was not a wise choice of action for now, Link swapped the Master Sword out for Revali's bow, nailing Ganon in-between the eyes with ancient arrows. The scourge retaliated by bringing another limb up and focusing a target on Link's chest. The bow was stashed and a shield brought out in seconds, deflecting the laser sent his way with practiced ease. The reversed attack stunned Ganon long enough for Link to run in and punch it square in the face. Admittedly, it didn't seem to do much damage to the malice covered form, but it sure did feel satisfying. He hit Ganon about the head a few more times with the Master Sword, actually leaving deep, permanent gashes in the structure of the calamity.

As the beast stirred, Link darted away again before Ganon raised itself up and slammed back down, creating an energy seal on the floor around it for a split second. The Hylian Champion had no idea what that would do to him if he were to remain within its range but he wasn't planning to find out. He once again kept his distance, favouring the Great Eagle bow and dodging the walls of fire propelled at him by the orange, glowing blade Ganon wielded.

At one point, the scourge started climbing up the walls of the cavern, like an overgrown insect. It was easily knocked off the wall again when Link fired a charged up blast from his right arm but he was sure that soon Ganon would try something new.

 _Oh look, I was right,_ Link thought, dispassionately, as he parried another energy beam in order to break through Ganon's new defensive strategy. The new strategy being that it couldn't be hurt if Link couldn't reach it with a weapon. High temperatures were very effective in that regard, as was barrier magic.

 _Two can play at that game._

Link gave a feral grin as another projectile attack from Ganon was blocked by Daruk. This was followed by a successful parry which allowed Link to dash in and deliver a charged up a swing of the Master Sword, combined with an electrical storm of Urbosa's Fury. Unfortunately, he stayed within range of Ganon for a fraction too long, as the beast recovered and expelled a wall of power that blasted Link back across the now heavily damaged floor.

He could feel his shoulder click in places it shouldn't, a sickening metallic taste in his mouth, and a burning sensation around his sternum. As soon as he fully became aware of the extent of his injuries, the pain was washed away by a soothingly cool sensation that pooled and passed through him.

 _Thanks Mipha._

Getting to his feet once again, Link was thankfully nimble enough to evade the spear that hurtled towards him. He fired off some more ancient arrows, dislodging Ganon from the wall again and running forward to drive the Master Sword through its face.

It howled in pain and anger, the Champion wrenched the sword free and started to back away for another attack cycle but the beast continued to screech. Malice began to pour out from its sides, its very form twisting and disintegrating into a flashing cloud of ash and smoke. It began to coalesce at the opening of the cavern, Link still gritting his teeth ready for what he might have to face next when he felt his body disengage with reality.

It was the same sensation he experienced after regaining control of the Divine Beasts and could only wonder where he was going now.

He re-appeared outside of the ancient cavern, reforming on the grassy plains of Hyrule Field amid a shower of light, and next to him stood Geoffrey. The horse snorted at him in surprise.

 _Yeah, me too, buddy_ , Link agreed, patting his horse gently on his muzzle while he took stock of his surroundings, absentmindedly wondering how the hell his horse got here.

The sky was an angry, oppressive red, with dark clouds racing overhead and the air itself felt stale. The malignant atmosphere spread far out over the mountains of Hebra and past the Dueling Peaks. It didn't take him long to notice the gigantic cyclone of malice and smoke that had appeared in the centre of the field.

He didn't like to be pessimistic, but he felt like he was being tested right now as Zelda started to speak to him again. She detailed Ganon's desperation to destroy this Kingdom, putting everything it had left into this final form of pure evil and hatred, all the while Ganon took shape before Link's eyes. Massive cloven hooves extended out from the chaotic storm, crashing down onto the once pure green land around them, followed by a set of lethal tusks that framed a giant snout and burning eyes. The Champion couldn't help but stand there and stare.

"He's a giant fucking _pig!_ "

The small Hylian wasn't sure quite why he was so surprised by this revelation as the form seemed almost familiar to him, but its sheer size and appearance was incredibly intimidating. Then he remembered his horse.

 _Thank you, Princess._

Whistling for his horse, Link started to sprint on ahead towards the flaming and lumbering colossal boar, hiking himself onto Geoffrey's saddle as his horse caught up with him.

"I entrust to you the Bow of Light," Zelda's voice rang out again and a spark appeared in the sky, a half moon shaped bow descending from the heavens.

Link leaned down to one side of the saddle, grabbing the bow as he rode past. He urged his steed to run faster towards the colossal monstrosity that was slowly starting to trample its way across the field. It breathed a bright red and purple flame that focused to a point as it seared the ground and swung up into the sky.

With a change in the tension of Links legs, Geoffrey was guided away from the front of the beast, instead riding along the side of it. The horse's rider brought up the bow and saw a cluster of light form where his fingers rested against the bow string. Trusting his instincts, he pulled the bowstring back and saw an arrow of light form as he continued his draw. Link arched to aim and fire, but the projectile did nothing but bounce off the pigs hide.

"The energy covering Ganon's body is called Malice. None of your attacks will get through as he is now…"

 _Then what do I do?_ Link trusted that Zelda would be forthcoming with a solution and his faith was rewarded.

"I will hold the Malice back as much as I can, but my power is waning. Attack any glowing points that you see."

 _Got it._

Stashing the Bow of Light away for now, Link re-took hold of the reins and drove his horse forward to swing around the back of the monster, keeping his eyes open for any signs of escaping light. As they came around to the other side of Ganon, he heard Zelda's voice ring out inside his head just as he saw three glowing seals appear on its upper limbs and body.

"Nows your chance!"

Link let fly several arrows into the areas Zelda highlighted, not having to worry about how much ammunition he had but also not taking any chances with his accuracy. The entire beasts form shuddered after the onslaught.

"Ganon's power is weakening!"

 _Oh thank the heavens_ , Link sighed internally, clipping Geoffrey on the side with his heel and tugging at the reins to turn the horse around. He nearly jolted off the horse entirely when he heard Zelda's voice, louder than before in her urgency as she informed him of more weak points she had created. He wheeled all the way around the back of the beast and immediately started unloading light arrows into the designated areas.

"It's working!"

He had successfully hit all the seals and was now riding around in circles waiting for more vulnerabilities. He couldn't see any, so he travelled to the other side of Ganon, still keeping as far away as possible from the flames at the front.

"Hurry, Link!"

"Princess! Where?!"

Link started to worry when he couldn't spot anymore seals to shoot, but Zelda sounded so distraught and strained, she must be holding back the Malice somewhere. He just couldn't _see it_. He nudged Geoffrey closer to Ganon, nearly brushing up against the giant hind legs of the beast. He cast his gaze feverishly over its huge form, pushing the green-maned horse forward until he saw the light in the corner of his eyes. Right on the beast's underbelly. Link shot it dead centre with the Bow of Light as he directed his horse directly underneath Ganon to reappear on the other side as it roared in rage and stamped its hooves.

"Link, we're so close…"

The calamitous beast staggered around, turning to face Link head on and he heard Zelda direct his attention up to see a glowing split in the malice coating the body of the boar.

"That's the very core of Ganon's being! Do what you must, Link…"

 _Will do, Princess,_ he vowed, bringing Geoffrey around to charge headfirst towards the boar's snout. Link gripped the front of the saddle, bearing his weight forward to bring his legs up onto the saddle beneath him. His trusty horse galloped within range of Ganon and Link propelled himself up from the seat of his steed into the air. A large, fiery eye looked at Link with fury from its location on the back of the beast's neck.

The Hero of the Wild found immense satisfaction as he drew back an arrow of light and let it go with a snap of string to watch it puncture the core of the Calamity.

Tar and viscera burst from the wound, the eye completely destroyed while the beast tossed its head in pain and rage. As it flung its massive head to the sky a ball of light escaped from its form, and Princess Zelda herself could be seen encapsulated in light.

Link couldn't help but let his jaw drop from the relative safety of the field.

As the descendant of Hylia returned to the ground, Ganon was still tossing its head around, snuffling at the ground in front of the Princess and growling in frustration. It attempted to lunge for Zelda and Link could feel every muscle in his body tense as he propelled himself forward, even though he was too far away. However, Zelda emitted a shockwave, a force that bodily repelled the monstrous form as it rippled through the malice and Link forced himself to a stop.

 _Oh, nevermind … she's got this._

Ganon gave one last, thunderous roar before it dissipated into its smoky, demonic form that Link was more familiar with. It twisted up and away into the sky before diving back towards Zelda but it could not reach her through her aura of holy light, forced to curve away again. As it retreated, Zelda raised a calm hand up at the spectral being, the Triforce shining brightly on the back of her hand. Ganon made one last ditch attempt to consume the Princess again but the light around her solidified into an expanded sphere of fire. The sphere continued to grow as it chased the smoke beast into the clouds, disintegrating the evil on contact until Ganon was completely annihilated. The sphere shone brightly, a ringing echoing in Link's ears for a few seconds before it condensed down to a small hole in the fabric of space within the blink of an eye and then disappeared entirely.

The sky cleared and it was day again.

* * *

Zelda had turned to face him, telling him how her faith in him had never wavered after Link rushed over to her. Link still couldn't believe that she was real; she was still here, right in front of him.

They had done it. Together, they had destroyed Ganon.

When she asked if he remembered her, he responded with a nod of his head, still a little dazed, but it was accompanied by a tilting gesture with his left hand. _I have memories of you... but I don't remember everything._

She had nodded once back in response, but didn't look disappointed. She was being remarkably calm given the situation. Link still felt like yelling, loudly, and he wasn't sure when he would stop.

"I'm amazed you remember anything at all, but I am glad that you- … Link?"

Her appointed knight had walked forward and reached out to tap hesitantly against her right upper arm. Upon confirming that she was corporeal and didn't have a spiritual green tinge to her appearance, he wrapped her up in a hug. He placed his face against her shoulder, content to marvel in the moment that she got to _live_.

Zelda was understandably taken aback by such a tactile gesture from her previously withdrawn protector, but she wasn't about to complain. The Princess returned the hug gently at first, before she was suddenly overwhelmed with her ability to _touch_ and she squeezed his ribcage tightly. They stayed that way, allowing the adrenaline to leave their systems and their minds to catch up. The pair stood there, holding each other, afraid that the other would cease to exist should either of them let go of the other. Gradually their breathing synced up and their heart rates calmed.

Running her hands up to his shoulders, Zelda was now made aware of a morphology difference between his right and left shoulders. Leaning back she inspected his right side, trying to spot the difference while Link watched her, head tilted in his customary pose of curiosity. He could tell when she spotted the problem because she backed up away from him completely.

"Link! Your arm, what- how?!-"

"Oh! Yeah, I …" Link looked down at his right arm, past the sleeve of his tunic. "I was being … reckless, I believe you said?" He said, recalling the memory he found climbing up Death Mountain, as his gaze moved from his arm back to Zelda's face, a small smile forming on his features. The smile died at the sight before him.

Zelda looked grief stricken.

"Princess, what's wro-"

"You. Got hurt. Again, because of me. Because I …"

It looked as though Zelda was trying to contain something within her, but a crack formed seconds before she crumpled against him in her sorrow. Her breathing became irregular and stuttered as it was pushed through her tears; hands gripping the sleeves of his tunic. The fingers of her left hand met the rigid inorganic material of his arm through the soft Champion shirt. She held the fabric tighter.

"I'm so sorry…"

Link's arms had automatically come up cradle her around the shoulders as soon as she broke, her whispered words making his chest constrict. All the while, he bore an expression of deep confusion and panic.

 _Oh, I had not planned for this, not yet. This is so much worse than I predicted._

He had thought, during the hours he let himself imagine an outcome where she survived, that he could show her at a later point, gently. She would reprimand him as she had in his memories, and he would answer her with nothing more than a hangdog expression and assure her he had learned his lesson. Then she would have moved onto curiosity over the prosthetic as the researcher within her could no longer be contained.

He didn't know how to respond to this, though, other than to hold her more securely. Words of denial for her guilt and assurances that it was his own bloody fault and not hers simply failed him.

Zelda seemed to still after a while, but she did not try to distance herself from him, so he gently guided them both down to the grass. Her face was still flush against his collar bone but he didn't stop his protective hold of her, running a hand down her back gently, though he wasn't sure what he was protecting her from. _How do I protect her from her own thoughts?_

 _By sharing them with her._

A sudden voice of clarity in his mind helped him recall what he had read from her diary. When she learned that he had the same fears and pressures of failure, she had felt less alone. It became the two of them against the Kingdom rather than just her lonely struggle. He wasn't going to let her feel alone in this too.

"You know … I was terrified I wouldn't actually get to meet you."

Zelda tensed for a split second, as she heard Link's voice, before gradually relaxing and tilting her face up while she leaned her head against his shoulder to look at her Knight.

"I was convinced you'd disappear like the other Champions, and all I'd have were memories of a life I watched from the outside."

He could feel the last of his energy draining, the adrenaline of the fight dissipating from his system, but this was important. He had to keep talking; he had no idea if Zelda knew how to read sign or even if she still remembered it after one hundred years. It also seemed poignant that she heard his voice.

"I was convinced I took too long getting my strength back, took too long reclaiming the Divine Beasts, getting the Master Sword… but you believed in me." Link tightened his hold on her and let his head fall to her shoulder. "This whole time, you believed I would come and save you. I only had one chance to get you back; I needed to be the best I could be. I'm sorry it took a while."

In a rush of movement, Zelda scrambled to get her arms around his ribs to give him a surprisingly strong hug.

"Don't you dare say sorry, not to me, Link. You have nothing to be sorry for. You did better than I could have hoped, and my standards are pretty high," Zelda said with a watery laugh of relief.

"…then you don't get to apologise to me either."

Link pulled back so he could achieve direct eye contact with his charge, now gripping her shoulders with his hands as he demanded her full attention.

"If it weren't for you I wouldn't be here, _Hyrule_ wouldn't be here. You held back Ganon for over a century, who was a literal embodiment of evil and malice. I wouldn't apologise for that, Princess."

Hylia's descendant smiled and all Link could think was _the Deku Tree wasn't kidding, I'd give anything to keep her smiling like that_. Lost in this thought he nearly jolted when Zelda rested her forehead against his own, closing her eyes.

"Ok, so neither of us have anything to say sorry for… we'll just think it instead."

"Of course. We have very low opinions of ourselves."

Zelda snorted and Link closed his eyes too.

"…it literally took me a hundred years to get you to talk this much."

They stayed in that position for quite some time, just breathing in tandem with each other, enjoying the simple fact that they were both alive and feeling the sun's rays on them.

"I really want a nap," Link said, eyes still closed.

"Oh gosh, likewise."

* * *

 **We finally have a Zelda! Also writing the end of this chapter filled me with warm fuzzy feelings. Thank-you to PilotInTheAttic (Ao3) for being the Beta reader on this.**

 **Thank you to everyone who commented on Last Rounds, they really made my day and kept me going after an update.**

 **If anyone has any prompts or situations they would like to see in future installations for this AU do let me know because it was actually a comment made by Psiidmon in Ironic Technology (part 1) over on Ao3 that sparked my desire to turn that story into a series. As always please let me know what you think - Good or bad it helps me build as a writer.**


	8. Aftermath: Part 1

**Double Update! This carries on directly after Storming the Castle, so I uploaded these two chapters at the same time. Aftermath is 3 parts long and read as excerpts from Links journal (according to Japanese translations he keeps notes on quests in the Slate). The journal entries will then lead into snippets of story and slice of life events.**

* * *

 _I have decided to continue recording the progress of my Quests in this journal, as I used to in the Sheikah Slate. Only this quest will continue until the day I die. My second death I suppose – that's an odd sentence. I gave another empty journal to the Princess as well to replace her old one and to mark a new section of our lives. She had looked so overjoyed that she hugged me again before tucking herself away in the loft no doubt to start writing in it._

 _Now, here I am, under the stairs doing the exact same. It's quiet in this house. I suppose I'll start by recounting the events since I met the Princess._

 _Immediately following the battle with Calamity Ganon, I took her back to my house in Hateno on Geoffrey. He was on his best behaviour for the entire ride and did not protest to carrying two people instead of just the one. I should reward him once I finish writing this._

 _I made sure the Princess wore some more protective clothing – she took a liking to the Snowquill set – and made sure to avoid the roads, specifically guiding my horse into the more scenic routes towards Hateno. I pointed out all the Shrines we passed and any Towers we could see in the distance – from what I remember she was obsessed with them, and it seems she still is. She was eager to ask questions and enquire about places we rode past, despite being exhausted. I made sure to answer her to the best of my abilities._

 _From Hyrule Field to my home, if I really put Geoffrey through his paces, I can easily make the journey before the day is out. It took us two days to reach our destination._

The Hylian pair had stopped once again, only this time they were settling down to camp out for the night. Link had already scouted the area for any monster encampments or bokoblin riders. He found neither, however; perhaps they had sensed that the Calamitous one had been defeated, and were now less confident in these lands. Their choice in camp site was an unnamed field they had come across after passing through Duelling Peaks.

It had been getting dark and the luminous flowers and mushrooms had caught Zelda's eye. Perhaps, it was more accurate to say that Zelda had become _entranced_. She nearly fell off the horse when she leaned around to continue staring at the bioluminescent flora as they rode past it. If Link hadn't been acutely aware of the pressure she exerted against his back, he might not have been in time to twist round and catch her as she suddenly slipped to one side.

"I suppose our first port of call should be to see Impa in Kakariko, let them all know what's happened," Zelda proposed as she settled back onto one of the blankets Link always packed with his horse. She was propped up against a tree stump and twirled a glowing nightshade in her fingers. The light reflecting off her face illuminated her faraway expression and unfocused eyes. The knight's brows twitched together for a second as he looked at her, finalising his own nest.

"I think the gigantic pig and the flaming ball of light that disintegrated it was a pretty good message, Princess."

Zelda side eyed him heavily.

"Please, Link, it's Zelda… which leads me to a conversation I desperately need to have with Impa, now that I think about it. Plus, there are still procedures that have to be followed; manners to uphold, and people to be reacquainted with."

 _She speaks of following protocols but wants me to call her by her given name..._

Even as she voiced all these responsibilities she slumped further back against the tree stump, sliding down the blanket slightly as fatigue claimed her. A long sigh was heard from where she lay and Link's troubled expression returned to his face as he flumped down onto his bedding. _After everything she's just been through she still…_

"No," Link murmured, shaking his head, staring resolutely at the sky.

"No?" Zelda answered, startled but oddly bemused.

"You're going to rest for at least a couple of days before going anywhere. Which is why we're heading straight to my home in Hateno."

The Princess was now lying flat on her back, head turned to stare at Link. She was still getting used to this version of her knight; one unhindered by pressure and expectations.

"You have a house?"

During his travels, Zelda had managed to catch occasional impressions of Link's presence. She could often judge his proximity to the castle, near or far, and a basic overview of his emotions. It had, ironically, been a very eye opening experience. Clearly, she had missed the point in time when he decided to buy a _house_.

"Wanted a place to stash some items I didn't trust myself with. Turned out to be a wise decision, I don't exactly have the greatest track record with looking after things." He lifted his mechanical arm up into a lazy wave, "but I have learned to take better care of myself or I'll be of no use to anyone. Now, I'm going to continue that forward and get you to take better care of yourself as well."

Zelda bit her lip. It was a sweet sentiment but he would have to overcome years of conditioning that she still had, whereas his had become absent with the onset of amnesia. If there was something for her to feel guilty about it would sink its teeth, not let go, and she did not have the tools to fight it off for long.

"Impa has waited for a century, Link."

"That being the case, I'm sure she can wait a few more days. Just long enough to prevent the Princess of Hyrule from passing out on her front door step," He responded quickly, as if he had been waiting for that argument.

Zelda sighed, but it was a relieved action and not one of disappointment or frustration as it would have been one hundred years prior. Smiling to herself, she turned over onto her back once more, caging the glowing flower in her hands resting on her stomach. She cleared her throat before speaking in an aloof voice.

"Well, if you insist Sir Knight."

"I do," said knight answered immediately, easily humouring her and Zelda felt a thrill pass through her at the prospect that such back and forth communication would become their new normality.

"But," she countered, not to be outdone, " _we_ are taking a rest. Not just me."

An amused huff could be heard from the makeshift clothing nest.

"I can agree to that. I have to be healthy enough to protect you, remember?" He turned a poignant stare towards the glowing flower, his only clue as to where she was in the dark of night. "That includes sparing you from your own self destructive habits."

"So, about that muteness of yours."

Link barked with laughter and Zelda threw the flower she was holding at him, watching it fall short and land directly between them in the grass.

 _The Princess was half asleep as we passed Hateno Fort and neared the village. Upon reaching my home, she was awake enough to dismount from the horse – quite gracefully actually - and stand in front of the house while I took off Geoffrey's gear and let him roam. As soon as we walked inside we both went up the stairs and collapsed on top of the bed sheets, sleeping for a full day and night._

 _I woke again to find the Princess up and about, inspecting the ground level of the house. She jumped when I came down the stairs, looking guilty as if she had been doing something she shouldn't. She was still wearing the Snowquill._

"You're free to do as you wish here, you know?"

Zelda looked hesitant and troubled at Link's words, keeping her arms close to her and body tense.

"Still... this is _your_ home, Link. I wouldn't want to impose on you any more than I already have been."

Link tilted his head to one side as he looked at the Princess. She had stood tall before a monstrous, coalesced mass of Calamity Ganon. She had remained steadfast in her devotion despite the indifference of the Goddesses, and she stood by her ideals before the eyes of her disappointed father. Yet, the idea of being in his house, a place he didn't attach too much sentimental value to in the first place, made her waver. He didn't understand, but she was uncomfortable and that made _him_ feel uncomfortable.

"You can impose as much as you like. I assure you, it doesn't bother me one bit."

The rigidity of her form loosened slightly, arms dropping lower to hover by her hips and her eyebrows pinched slightly.

"Are you sure?"

"Please, make yourself at home. As far as I'm concerned, it's your home now too, for as long as you want it to be."

Her whole form wobbled slightly and it alarmed Link to the point that he actually took a couple of steps forward to try and catch her should she fall. He was instead engulfed in a strong hug, his arms sticking out awkwardly to the sides, as Zelda rushed forward to embrace him. A deep intake of breath was followed by a drawn out exhale as her body finally relaxed, her arms tensing again only for a moment to hug him more tightly.

"Thank you. I _really_ do not want to go back to that Castle ever again."

 _It took a while for me to convince her that she should feel truly at home in this house - that she was welcome here for as long as she wished to stay and after a couple of days she relaxed._

 _I gave her the loft space as her area. I figured after all that time stuck in the Castle she would enjoy being able to see out of a window and the lack of confining walls. I've made myself a sort of den under the stairs, placed a mattress on top of the boxes and bought a lot of blankets and cushions. It so comfortable it's almost a danger for my early morning schedules._

 _I refer to it as our home now, not just my home._

* * *

 _We went into Hateno village to buy utility things and other items people tend to have in their houses. The Princess has quickly managed to make the loft space her own, and she is already on a first name basis with many of the villagers. Not that they have any idea who she actually is. Some were giving me raised eyebrows and a grin over her shoulder – I wasn't sure how I was expected to respond so I didn't._

 _The Princess_ _Zelda_ _hasn't mentioned her birth right at all, but she did express concern that she had no means to buy items she needed. I showed her the various gems and rupees I had stored in the Sheikah Slate. I would guess that the amount is considered a lot if her reaction was anything to go by._

"I- We- Yes. Yes, I believe that will be sufficient. Hmm."

She scrutinised the screen for a minute longer before handing it back to Link.

"Don't you want it?" he asked, trying to give it back but Zelda shook her head.

"You're far more familiar with it's utilities than I am, it would be best used in your hands."

Link waited a beat before he pressed the slate back into her pliable hands.

"I can teach you, if you want?"

Obviously, this had been the right thing to say as Zelda's face lit up immediately, looking hopefully back at him. The trip into the village was then taken up by Link running through what each of the runes did and how to activate them.

"This is Magnesis, it was the first rune I received," Link explained, after selecting the corresponding rune from the top of the screen. "If you look at the world through the slate it highlights anything that can be controlled as bright pink. Once you're in range of it and you angle the slate towards it, the object goes yellow."

He directed the slate to point down towards the running water below the bridge they crossed as they left the house.

"See? There's something in the river I can capture with this rune."

He tilted the screen towards the Princess so she could see the bright pink silhouette of a chest in the water below them. Link handed her the device, instructing her to tap the screen when the object turned yellow and to then bring the slate up. Zelda followed his directions and succeeded in bringing the chest up out of the water.

"Ok," Link said, placing his hands against the backs of hers, "if you tilt the slate sharply back or forward you can move the object back and forth. Sweeping the slate from side to side will do the same to the object."

Too engrossed in what she was doing, Zelda hadn't taken much notice of Link's proximity or tactile guidance, but the Knight had. Realising how close and familiar he was being, he slowly withdrew away from her as to not draw attention to himself while she manoeuvred the magnesis caught chest onto the bridge. Still he had to remind himself that as a Princess she probably expected more appropriate behaviour from him.

"Goodness, this chest is old. Probably from before the Calamity... wonder how I get inside," Zelda mused. She turned to tug on Link's sleeve, getting his attention back from his introspective thoughts, "you don't happen to know how to pick locks, do you?"

"Not pick them, no. But I can get it open," Link said, cryptically, as he stood by the chest, lifted one foot up and slammed his heel down on the rusted padlock. "Ta-da."

"Oh … well, that works too I suppose," Zelda said, brightly, coming over to inspect the contents of the chest.

She had the sneaking suspicion he only did it that way to impress her and she wasn't ashamed to admit that it worked. Then again, with how oblivious he could be this may just be a propensity for dramatics she was only now seeing.

Turning her attention to the chest she had retrieved, she opened the lid, gasped, and then immediately closed it again. As she stared directly ahead of her for several seconds, Link came over to inspect the contents of the chest for himself. Prying her hands off of the lid, he peered inside and saw a large collection of rupees; reds, blues, and the occasional purple.

"That is a ridiculous amount of money to leave in a chest. Also, why is it in the river?" Zelda asked, incredulously, her voice rising as she continued to speak. "Is this how you've acquired your fortune? Random treasures found in forgotten chests across Hyrule?"

Link scratched the back of his head, not looking directly at Zelda as she was now staring at him, thinking over his answer before opening his mouth.

"Sometimes, but it's mainly money I get from selling gems I find from mining, or defeated Talus."

"Of course, defeating giant rock monsters. Yes," Zelda went back to assessing the contents of the chest.

"Didn't you have an unfathomable amount of money as the Princess? Why does this shock you?" Link asked, giving her a curious expression and Zelda had to take a moment to formulate her answer. He had completely bypassed the issue about facing multiple rock monsters, enough to casually amass his fortune. She wasn't sure if she wanted to hit him or hug him, so she moved on to answering his question.

"I've never actually had any sort of tangible wealth on me. Except clothes and other paraphernalia," she said, looking from Link to the chest. "My status usually spoke for itself and I never actually got to buy anything for myself. It was always acquired for me."

"Oh. Well," Link took a purple rupee from the chest and handed it to her, "congratulations, I guess."

After collecting all the rupees into a pack that Link gave Zelda to attach to her belt, he continued to explain the other runes and the Shrines he had acquired the from. Amid a story about Link running past the decayed Guardians posted outside the Bomb Shrine he noticed that her attention was fixed on the blue light coming from the Shrine up on the hill.

"When you have time, could you tell me about them?" She asked, her voice rather small.

"I can _show_ you," he assured, pleased to see her enthusiasm return in full force at the prospect of actually getting to go _inside_ the Shrines.

By the time they reached the centre of the village, Zelda was familiar with Magnesis, Cryonis, Stasis, and the theory behind the bombs. Link felt it was probably wise to hold off on a practical demonstration until they had more open space and far less people around. The Princess was currently swiping through images that Link had collected on the Compendium as they walked through the main thoroughfare. It was by no means finished but he had made decent progress towards completing it, with a few of the weaker weapons and shields missing and no Blue Lynel.

"How did you manage to get so close to this butterfly without scaring it away?" Zelda asked, tilting the screen so Link could see the photo she was talking about. It was a close-up of a Smotherwing; the patterns on it's wings captured in perfect detail.

"Very carefully," was Link's answer, but when Zelda gave him a less than impressed look he explained further. "I would sneak up on them as slowly as my armour would allow and then zoom in. Took a couple of times to learn what their perception range was."

"I now have this mental image of you, in full armour with all your weapons, trying to creep up to this poor, defenceless butterfly. Then you'd get upset when it flies away," she said, chuckling slightly as she held the Sheikah Slate to her chest with her eyes closed in glee.

The pair walked into the everyday odd-and-ends shop while Link held the door open for Zelda, shoulders hunched around his ears sheepishly.

"Pretty much."

 _She greatly enjoys her new found independence. Not that she wasn't an independent soul to start with, but due to her position and responsibilities she could not always do what she wished and was beholden to others. Now she is free to come and go however she pleases and has the resources available to enable her to do so. I made it abundantly clear that I have no use for my amassed wealth and anything I had was hers as-well._

 _This made her flustered for some reason - I will have to ask about it some other time._

* * *

 _Zelda has not lost her curiosity and intense need to explore and learn everything she can about the land of Hyrule. Only now she seems to be much more willing to involve me in her studies too. At least I don't have to worry about her trying to leave me behind any more._

"I would like to explore for a bit before we go to see Impa, and I would like to ask that you accompany me. If that is ok with you?" Zelda ventured, looking unsure and yet still determined to hear Link's answer.

She had taken a liking to wearing a white-dyed Hylian Tunic. It oddly suited her, and it was more suitable for a trip into the wilds than the Snowquill. Evidently, she wished to leave sooner rather than later.

"Of course, where would you like to go?"

Such an accepting answer gave Zelda pause. For some reason, that she now could not recall, she had expected Link to insist they stay and rest some more. Or silently express judgement that they were delaying the inevitable. The idea seemed ridiculous now as she remembered that Link had always done anything he could to make her life easier and keep her happy. At least, he had when she finally allowed him to during the end of their partnership. He was also the one that encouraged her to recuperate _before_ going to see Impa.

Zelda argued that this was still a part of her recovery process and squashed the guilt born from years of conditioning. Now if only she knew how to answer him.

"I... I am not sure where I would like to go, actually. Somewhere that doesn't have many people? But still has lots of plant and animal life for me to study..." She trailed off, feeling a little silly with her request, but Link seemed to be seriously giving her request some consideration.

"I think I have a good idea. I imagine it's changed quite a lot since you last saw it though," he concluded, moving around the house to pick up various items and have them be absorbed by the Sheikah Slate, which was placed face-up on the dining table.

The Princess leaned across the table to peer at the items as they disintegrated into blue particles of light, one by one. The ease with which her Appointed Knight handled the Sheikah Slate inspired a certain amount of jealousy within her, but it was outmatched by how pleased she was with this advancement. She couldn't wait to pepper him with questions about it when they had both settled into a post-destiny life. She felt it would be a bit much to bombard him with her insistent queries so soon after his countless near death experiences.

Lost in her thoughts, Zelda hadn't noticed that Link was all packed and ready to go waiting by the door.

"Shall we?" He asked, half way out of the house and Zelda came back to herself to answer a quick affirmative and follow him out the door.

The destination was the jungles of Faron, and there were two options. Either the pair could take the less strenuous route, which passed back through Duelling Peaks and then south into Faron region. Or, they could take a road down to the coast of Loshlo Harbor and then hike up through the mountains and take considerably less time.

Zelda opted for the more adventurous path and Link was _thrilled_.

They made good time scrambling up the cliffs of East Necluda, with Link leading Zelda through Keya Pond on the Dunsel Plateau to skirt around a Hinox. Both of them were extremely thankful that Zelda had chosen the Hylian Tunic, even if the colour was unfortunate for this sort of activity. Trying to imagine her making this journey in her prayer attire was laughable.

By the time they had reached the edge of the plateau leading down into Atun Valley, the sun had started to set. The open sky was enough to distract Zelda from their journey for a sufficient amount of time that it prompted Link to ask if they should set up camp. After a peaceful night gazing up at the twinkling stars above them, the Hylian pair continued down into the valley and followed the path that took them into the heart of the Faron Region.

Dense clusters of trees and vibrant flora was just what the Princess had envisioned for her little excursion. Only a couple of travellers past them as they made their way further into the dense foliage.

"They're probably heading back to Lurelin," Link informed her, waving back to a Hylian that gave the pair a short salute in greeting.

"Oh?" Zelda prompted him to continue.

"They tend to trade at Stables nearer Hyrule Field but they often stay at the Lakeside Stable on the other side of Floria bridge, which is further ahead."

After about ten minutes of walking and, in Zelda's case, obsessively recording every new flora species they encountered, the Princess suddenly detoured off the main road to climb up a bank. Link hurried on after her, acutely aware that lizalfos would be swarming these areas and he couldn't remember the last time he had swept through here.

"Princess, I think it would be wiser if I went first. We'll go slowly."

"Trouble?" Zelda asked, coming to a complete stop in her assessment of a Mighty Thistle to give Link her full attention.

"Possibly. More a hassle than a genuine problem, though."

"Ah, of course," she said, a small smile gracing her features.

Her confidence now restored, she knelt down to finish her investigation of the brightly coloured plant before her, and Link stood protectively next her. He would admit that he became more and more interested in what _she_ was doing rather than keeping an eye on his surroundings, however.

A pattern was soon established where Zelda would spot a new item of curiosity and speed over to investigate it before stopping to let Link give the area a quick sweep. Once she was given the all clear with a thumbs up gesture from her Knight, the Princess would settle herself down before the new specimen and give it a thorough examination. She would add detailed notes attached to the images she stored in the Sheikah Slate, as Link had shown her, before standing back up to move onto a new area.

Admittedly, Link was a bit suspicious after an hour of this when no monsters showed themselves. However, he was in a good mood and decided to take this as a possible blessing from Farore to give them some peace. Unfortunately, no matter how peaceful the Hylian Champion was feeling, it became apparent that Zelda was not in the same state.

Her investigations became more hurried and she would often start studying plants she had already documented. Eventually, she stopped before another Mighty Thistle, letting the Sheikah Slate hang from her hands loosely at her side. She didn't move from her position for a while and when Link came over to ask her what was wrong, he could see that her head was bowed. Gently, he took the Sheikah Slate from her, attached it to his belt, and then placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Zelda, what's wrong?"

It took her a moment, but an intake of breath was the tell tale sign that she was bracing herself for a conversation she would rather not have to express out loud. But never the less, she had to.

"Link," she said quietly, turning back to see him, "when we go to see Impa, I feel I will be making quite the controversial statement." She paused to make sure that Link was paying attention – he most assuredly was – and to formulate her next words. "I say this to let you know, that whatever you decide to do following my announcement I will not hold it against you. We have both fulfilled our roles and the oath you gave to my Father has been completed."

Seeing Link's narrowed eyes and tilted head in response to this, Zelda misunderstood his expression to be confusion over the Oath she had referred to.

"Upon becoming my Appointed Knight you would have sworn an oath to protect me until you died or my Father freed you from your pledge."

 _That's not what I'm concerned about, Princess_ , Link thought, now frowning slightly even as he nodded slowly.

"So," she took a breath, "if you decide you would rather we part ways-"

"Woah!" Link started, holding his hands up quickly, "I never said anything about leaving!"

"No, of course you didn't," Zelda responded, equally surprised now by his outburst. "I only meant that if you wish to leave-"

"I don't! Do … Do _you_ want to leave?"

"No! Of course I don't want to leave."

"Then why are you bringing it up?"

"I'm only saying that the option is available to you if you want to leave you can. I refuse to force you into a situation you feel you cannot get out of. There is nothing binding you to me any more. If you wish to stay it would be of your own free will."

"Then that's fine, because I'm not going anywhere!"

"Good, because I don't want to go anywhere either!"

There was a pause as they stared at each other, both standing defiantly as if they had just won the debate. Bird song echoed off the trees and damp cliffs around them, insects scuttled about on their plants and the occasional drop of condensation from the canopy above would fall into a puddle adding to the melody of the jungle. The relentless but subtle flow of sound and activity around them brought the pair into a more relaxed state as they finally processed the situation they found themselves in.

"Oh."

A small grin broke out on Zelda's face and it grew into a beaming smile that she then covered with one hand as she started to laugh.

"Oh!"

As she turned away slightly to laugh harder, still covering her face, she missed Link's expression of delight. He had never heard her laugh before.

"I suppose, I should confide in you what I intend to tell Impa," Zelda said, her laughs receded as she took on a more serious tone. "I have been considering this for a while, and coming out here has allowed me to see the land of Hyrule as it is. As it should be."

She tilted her head up to the tree canopy above them, large leaves blotting out direct sunlight and tinting the world below a light green. The moisture in the humid air trapped below the tree line clung to their skin and clothes, condensing on the flowers around them, causing them to sparkle.

"I don't have the heart to disturb this land. I mean just look at it, look how nature has reclaimed this Kingdom. With no-one here to maintain and cut back excess growth the forests and this jungle have been able to run rampant and they're so full of life." Zelda twirled around to take in all the sights around her almost teetering over a stray root in her excitement before Link was able to steady her.

"Even the people here have learned to live _with_ their environment," she continued, completely ignoring her sudden loss of equilibrium as she now held onto Link's shoulder. "They have not tried to wrangle it into submission or expected it to bend to their wishes. It's just free, untamed and wild. It's breath taking."

Facing Link directly, with her eyes shining, Zelda braced herself to share her decision.

"That's the life I want for myself now. I have no desire to return to the Castle or that way of life. Link, I'm not reclaiming my throne. I am not becoming the next Queen of Hyrule."

Zelda paused to assess how her Knight had responded to her words, noticing that he had actually reeled back a little in surprise, before she completed her speech.

"I want to finish the research I started a century ago and start research into new areas too. I wish to build a world where knowledge is valued and can easily be accessed so that future generations will not be left to flounder in new discoveries. Considering your extensive practical knowledge and your personal experiences with traversing this Kingdom, it would seem only logical that I ask you to come with me. Of course this is entirely up to you, and I would completely understand if you would rather lead a more relaxed and peaceful life. Given everything that has been asked of you it seems only right, but I would still value your input on my endeavours, no matter what you decide."

She finally let go of her grip on his shoulder, realising that her hold had been steadily getting stronger throughout her speech and yet her Knight hadn't seemed bothered by it. It was only then that she noticed she had been clinging to his right shoulder, which had no sensation in it at all. Meanwhile, Link was staring at her incredulously, unable to keep his deeper sarcastic nature in check in this moment in time.

"Oh no, however will I cope with following you all over Hyrule, battling Monsters and helping you with your Research. It sounds _awful_ ," Link raised an eyebrow as he finished speaking with a deadpan voice.

Zelda was stunned for a moment, parsing his words through the sudden outpouring of sass. She recognised that he had essentially agreed to come with her but had not reacted with more than mild surprise to her rejection of the monarchy. Then again, he _did_ still have amnesia.

"I ask you a serious question … and you answer me with sarcasm!" She was batting at his arms and chest with her hands, failing to hide a grin despite everything.

"It's a defence mechanism, I think," he answered, also grinning, and doing absolutely nothing to halt Zelda's assault against his person. "But, really, why would my opinion matter? It's your choice to live the life you want. There isn't anyone alive who can really pressure you into doing otherwise, and no-one is powerful enough to make you. I would be happy to serve as a threat too, if need be."

Zelda leaned forward to rest her forehead against the shoulder that still had sensory function and let her arms hang down. She was a sea of various emotions trapped inside an exhausted vessel; happiness, relief, gratitude, peacefulness, exasperation, and fondness all mixing together. She wasn't sure what emotions were currently being expressed on her face or if all of them were trying to broadcast at once. This made her thankful that Link couldn't actually see her face, but she had one final question before she could relax completely, and without any fear.

"You would have followed me no matter what path I chose, wouldn't you?"

"Of course, I would."

 _She seemed worried as to how I would react to her wish to not rebuild her Kingdom, as if I would do anything but support her._

 _My lack of memories from our time one hundred years ago are really starting to become a hindrance. I am unsure of how familial I was with her towards the end or how comfortable she was with our partnership. I will simply have to re-learn and hopefully not come across as a complete fool in the process. However, I do hope we both eventually reach a state where we no longer have to second guess our actions. Where we can both trust each others motivations without question and we can both be comfortable in each others presence._

 _I look forward to it._

* * *

 **As you can see, this isn't a fic where we follow Zelda trying to reclaim her crown and her Kingdom. I just can't see her wanting to go back to all that. Especially, as it nearly brought ruin to Hyrule because they failed to really understand the technology they were using - just as King Dorephan had warned them. Instead, this Zelda will be focusing primarily on her personal interests and how they can be carried forward for the future and the people within Hyrule all over.**

 **I love my Science Princess far too much.**


	9. Aftermath: Part 2

_The Princess-_ _Zelda is not nearly as well adjusted as she portrays herself to be, thankfully this time she does not shy away from an offer of support. Oddly, I find this more reassuring than if she had genuinely been fine following her century long imprisonment within the Castle. After the struggle she went though, coming out unscathed in body, mind, and spirit would have meant there was a far bigger underlying problem. Something I could not touch._

 _She says that she was not fully aware of time passing, a blessing granted to her by her goddess blood, but her ability to discern dreams from reality is weak at times. Both herself and the Calamity succumbed to a slumber similar to my own, allowing their astral forms to oppose each-other which always ended in a stalemate._

 _The-_ _ZELDA has developed an aversion to any of the areas around the Castle – understandable – and her rather manic glee at watching pork cook should be disturbing. However, I admit, I am incredibly weak to char-grilled pork myself and I am only too happy to indulge her._

 _But the most vulnerable part of her days are the hours of the early morning - that section of time where things don't quite seem real anyway. But we quickly came to an arrangement that suited us both._

Zelda stared at the roof above her; the moonlight from the unveiled window was casting a bright shape over the blankets covering her body. Her body was trembling slightly, but her stare was unwavering, her mind a great distance away from her physical form.

The roof above her told her that she was in Link's house, that she was safe. She had made it out; he had come for her like she knew he would. Yet, this feeling of dread and despair that she could not shake from her nightmares, persisted into her waking hours. Was she awake? What if she had not actually made it out and this was just her mind conjuring some fantasy to protect her psyche against the onslaught of the Calamity?

These thoughts jettisoned her straight into panic and a fight or flight response was initiated. As she had nothing before her physically that she could fight, her body went to flight.

Hands skittered over the blankets as she pushed them aside and she scrambled up from the bed, lunging for the railing to steady herself and make her way down the stairs. All the while she muttered to herself.

"No, no, no, no…."

She reached the base of the stairs and swung herself around it to reach the nest underneath it. She could see Link spread out across the mess of blankets on his back, a sand seal plush was held in one arm, the other artificial one bent above his head. She lifted up the covers and nestled herself in amongst the bedding, curling up at Link's side.

Her heart rate started to slow again, and her stuttered breathing evened out. She held his sleeping tunic in one hand, tightly, while she rested her head by his chest. Gradually, she forgot the cause for her panic; it seemed so far away now, unimportant.

In the morning, when the pair re-awoke, Link was understandably surprised and confused to find the Princess so very close in her night clothes and in his bed no less. But when he asked her, tentatively, if there was anything amiss she had responded in a small voice.

"Sorry. Bad dream. Thought you weren't real. Wanted to make sure that you were."

That had been enough for the appointed knight, who nodded to her and relaxed back amidst the cushions for a lie in. The Princess, however, retracted out from under the blankets and went back up to the loft to get dressed and start her day.

The same scenario played out again and again for the next few nights. Zelda would wake in the limbo hours of the morning, her unoccupied thoughts would send her down a path of helplessness, and she would flee down the stairs and into the amalgamation of blankets with her knight.

Yet, it still surprised her when she found, one day, that the nest under the stairs had been made slightly bigger so that they could both fit in it. Link had shrugged, and explained that if she felt better – _happier_ \- sleeping in the same place as him he didn't see why she shouldn't just start there.

"Besides," he deliberated for a second before saying, "it's nice knowing that I'm not here alone any more."

It vaguely occurred to Zelda, as they both curled up with their backs together surrounded by soft materials, that this arrangement should be odd to the pair of them. Sharing a bed with a man similar in age to herself would have been scandalous back in the castle and her Father would have combusted. But still, it felt comforting and _right_ to be next to one another, like they were always supposed to be this close. She trusted him wholeheartedly and Link had always had her best interests in mind, restricted though he had been.

The pair were restricted no longer and they came to the agreement that they simply refused to bend to others expectations of them ever again. They were finally free to relax completely in each others presence, and they had no intention of ever giving that up.

 _There is of course the odd awkward morning where one of us has accidentally started using the other as a pillow. We've had to introduce a blanket statement that neither of us find it awkward as long as the other doesn't... it took a bit of getting used to._

* * *

 _We went to see Impa today. I'm actually writing this sandwiched between Koko and Cotla from the floor of Dorian's place._ _The Prin-_ _ZELDA is staying with Paya, and I was intending to camp outside but Dorian found me. Apparently, his daughters had heard I was back and proceeded to pester him non-stop... So, I've been re-counting some of my adventures to them and now they're fast asleep. I don't have the heart to move them so I can get up, even though I should think about getting them into a bed._

 _After today, I really should just settle down to sleep myself._

The day had begun as most others had in Link's house, with one of the pair waking up much earlier than the other and beginning the careful process of trying to get out of bed. Without disturbing the other.

However, on this day, Zelda and Link had already made preparations to finally visit Impa. After the Princess had confided in Link what she planned to do, upon returning to Hateno she had written a message to be delivered to Kakariko Village.

It had been a joint effort to write the letter, as Zelda wished to remain polite and formal but at the same time also convey how apologetic she was that it had taken so long and that she had matters to discuss. Occasionally, the Princess had asked Link to skim over it.

"Does this sound too pushy? Too arrogant maybe?"

"Prin- Zelda … I think it's fine. She's pretty easy going."

"That's because you have this infuriating ability to be familiar with everybody."

Link had made a small strangled noise in response to this and Zelda, not noticing his now pink-tinged ears, assumed she had accidentally offended him.

"No! I didn't mean it like that. No, no, no, it's a good thing! I'm just jealous," she'd assured waving her hands at him desperately, all while her Knight tried battling off several different emotions at once.

The letter had eventually been sent, confirming the date they were to leave and sealing Zelda's fate. She appreciated that she was being a tad over-dramatic, and that Link had been correct in saying that no-one could force her to do otherwise, yet she still fretted. It was what she was good at these days.

On this particular day, her fretting had caused her to be the first to wake up and find that she had pressed her face directly into Link's back. He was curled up facing away from her and she had her arms wrapped around his ribcage. She vaguely recalled having a teddy bear she used to hold like this when she was a child and the thought nearly made her laugh out loud despite her stress.

The sudden bodily jolt she gave whilst trying to suppress the laugh was enough to rouse Link from sleep.

He uncurled from his sleeping position, legs stretching to their fullest extent and his back curving inward and away from Zelda. She withdraw her arms from around his body as all of his limbs then stretched forward in front of him before they were pressed against the wall. As he stretched he made an odd sort of squeaking noise before it became a yawn. The Princess was thoroughly reminded of a dog waking from a deep slumber, and placed both of her hands over her mouth in an effort to further contain her mirth.

"Morning," Link mumbled, relaxing back into the bedding, "time to get up?"

"I'm afraid so," Zelda lamented, who was also quite content to just stay in bed and have some more lazy morning conversations. They had been covering various topics, from what the pair planned to do now that the Princess turning Researcher had moved in with Link to which areas of Hyrule they should explore in detail first.

The former Knight groaned, mumbled some choice words, before rolling onto his front and levering himself up, fantastic bed-head splayed all over the place. At the moment, he looked less like a dog and more like a cockatiel. His blue sleeping tunic was hanging off of one shoulder, the sleek dark surface of his Guardium shoulder showing through and the pulsing orange glow from in between the swirling designs seemed to brighten as Link became more awake.

"Link, after we visit Impa," Zelda broached, causing Link to stop his attempt to climb out of bed without accidentally squishing her, "would you mind if I took a look at your arm?"

The small Hylian kneeled upright amidst a pile of cushions and huffed a laugh.

"I had expected you to ask already to be honest. Of course you can. Maybe you can actually explain to me how it works?"

"Didn't Purah or Robbie tell you?" She asked, shuffling out of bed to let Link escape after her, astonished at such an oversight on the Sheikah researcher's part.

"I just need to point and shoot," Link said, demonstrating by raising his prosthetic, straight armed and palm outward in front of him.

Zelda nodded; it was understandable that he probably had not had the time to really delve into the finer intricacies and would rather know how to use it as efficiently as possible.

Donning the white Hylian tunic, she had claimed as her own, Zelda grabbed the Sheikah Slate from the table and handed it to Link who had just pulled the Tunic of the Wild over his head. The white lobster patterned blue sleeping tunic was folded neatly over the back of a nearby chair. She was pleased to note that he was actually quite organised with his belongings, and it would be another great aspect of their partnerships when he travelled with her on research trips. They had both double checked all their provisions, not that they needed many, before allowing them to be deconstructed into the Slate. Zelda liked to think she was organised, and she _was_ in the main, but when she was in the 'zone', as Urbosa had affectionately called it once, she tended to lose sight of her immediate surroundings and the chaos of notes she created.

Remembering Urbosa filled her with melancholy. Try as she might she could not escape the cold claws of truth that told her that her friends were well and truly gone. Link had dutifully relayed the messages their prior comrades had given him in their spectral forms. It had eased her concerns somewhat, but the void they had once filled would take far longer to get used to and live with. One day, she would be able to confront the Divine Beasts again.

"We should visit King Dorephan after we visit Impa. I believe it would soothe him to know that even though he lost his daughter, she was still able to complete her goal and save civilisation. It won't be a complete consolation, and nothing ever will be. I also need to apologise; he was right. We never should have attempted to revive a power we did not fully understand."

Link, now fully equipped with the Master Sword on his back and the Slate clipped to his belt, came over to her and rested a hand against her upper arm.

"How about we get this visit with Impa sorted first. Then we can think of what to do after?"

His words had the desired effect and grounded Zelda to their current predicament. One step at a time.

"Of course, lead the way."

It took the pair until midday to reach Kakariko bridge on the back of Geoffrey. When Link didn't steer the horse to turn right and canter across the bridge, but instead guided him left, Zelda leaned forward to speak directly into his ear.

"Link, where are we going?"

"You'll see," was all he said in response.

About half an hour later and the Duelling Peaks Stable came into view. Slowing the dark horse down into a slow amble, they approached the stable owner and came to a complete stop.

Dismounting, Link went up to the desk and the man behind the counter greeted him warmly. Zelda entertained herself by watching people walking along the path to and from the stables and the Hylian Retriever that was sniffing his way towards her Knight. It was nice to see how in the face of adversity and even after the complete and utter destruction of Central Hyrule, little populaces supported by outposts like these created a wide reaching network. She had been informed of multiple stables all over the Kingdom, and the minimal but efficient communication between them all made it possible for horses to be transported to a specific stable ahead of time to meet their owners.

Zelda was constantly being greeted by more and more instances were people proved they were able to organise and liaise amongst themselves adequately without her interference. She wasn't about to come in and insist otherwise.

"Pr- Zelda."

Startled out of her musings she directed her sights down towards Link, who now stood beside the horse and was offering a hand up to help her off. She took it gratefully and dismounted, her boots crunching against the pebbles and sand of the pathway beneath her feet.

Still holding onto his hand, she was led over to the side of the stable where they stopped to watch a pure white horse being brought round from the paddock at the back. It was a large, well built stallion but what caught Zelda's attention the most was the Royal bridle it was sporting, the purple and gold standing out starkly against his snowy chest; the spitting image of her old horse from a century ago. Looking to Link for confirmation, who gave it in the act of inclining his head towards her, she started forward again. Gradually, her grip on Link's hand lessened as she walked towards the horse, letting go entirely to approach the new stallion. The pale beast snorted at her, tossing his head gently as if he was waiting for her to do something.

"Soothe your mount…" she murmured, reaching a hand forward slowly as not to spook him.

"Or they'll never know how you truly feel," Link finished; smiling in response to Zelda's turning her delighted face back towards him.

"You really do remember that?"

At Links nod, Zelda returned her focus to the white horse and stroked down his muzzle with more confidence. Hands stilling on the horse snout, she could feel the animal breathing in and out slowly. Moving around to the side but still in the stallion's line of sight, she pressed her open palms to the beast's ribcage as its lungs expanded and diminished with each breath.

"Oh, Link, he's beautiful. What's his name?"

There was a pause and Zelda tore her attention away from the horse, _her horse_ , to see what Link what doing. He was shifting slightly, his eyes averted to the sky, and Zelda pursed her lips.

"What did you call him?"

"... Ophelia."

"Ophelia?!" She asked, not expecting that at all, "Link, you are aware that this horse is male, yes?"

"Yes … look it was a pretty horse that needed a pretty name; we've already established I shouldn't be in charge of naming things."

Laughing so hard that she needed help getting up onto _Ophelia,_ Zelda and Link continued on their way to see Impa. She didn't notice the stable master looking at Link dumbfounded by the sight of her on the Royal steed, and she didn't see the grin and the carefree shrug Link gave him in response, either.

By the time their horses slowed to a trot as they entered Kakariko Village, the sun had started to dip down behind the hills that surrounded the valley the village was nestled in. The villagers, taking notice of two Hylians arriving on horseback, gave them a wave before getting back to work; closing up their stores or collecting up the tools they had been using for the day.

The pair followed the path, moving past all the residents' houses and the odd cuccoo, until Link pointed out Impa's home at the apex of the village. Dismounting at the base of the stairs, the Sheikah guards stationed either side of the entrance archway came forward to greet them.

"Welcome back, Master Link. I see you were successful. Well done."

Link turned to the one addressing him.

"Thank you, Cado. Zelda, this here is Cado and this is Dorian," he indicated the other guard. "They guard the village, but more often than not Impa herself."

Meanwhile, Cado and Dorian had done a double take at Zelda's name.

"You don't mean .. Princess?!" Cado asked, astonished.

Zelda waved at them both hurriedly to be at ease before either of them could start kneeling or saluting her.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both, and once I have concluded business with Impa I would very much to know more about the pair of you."

The guards were incredibly taken aback but they managed to shake themselves out of it quickly, and Dorian stood to one side.

"Of course, we would be delighted. For now, we welcome you to Kakariko Village. Lady Impa is expecting you, just this way."

With an arm swept open to the stairs, Dorian allowed Cado to pass by him, leading Link and Zelda up to the double doors of Impa's home, before following up after them. Once at the top, Cado and Dorian took up position on either side of the door

"We will be stationed right outside, let us know if you need anything," Cado assured, as the pair of guards opened their respective doors for the two Hylians.

"Ah, so you have finally returned to us, Princess. I must say it is delightful to see once again."

The doors closed softly behind them and finally, after over one hundred years, Impa and Zelda were finally able to see each other. The Princess gave a watery laugh in response, blinking back tears, and wondering why she had delayed such a meeting in the first place. Logically, she knew time had passed for everyone but herself and Link, and yet seeing her most trusted advisor, now nearing the end of her life was still a bittersweet moment. Countless hours had been spent together; dealing with Purah's eccentrics, hoarding all manner of ancient manuscripts, and often just sharing each others problems.

"It is delightful to see you too, Impa. You have no idea."

The Sheikah Elder patted the cushions she sat upon and waved Zelda towards her. The Princess of Hyrule obeyed, slowly walking towards her old friend, before surging forwards into Impa's open arms.

"I daresay I look very different from the last time you saw me, but at least _you_ actually remember me," Impa said, jovially. Her eyes moved from Zelda's golden hair to Link's slightly-averted blue eyes. "Oh, come now, no need for that."

Link shifted, tapping the toes of his boots against the floor in turn and only looking up when Impa spoke. Zelda had leaned back from her hug and turned to look at who the elder Sheikah was talking to, sniffing slightly, the sensation of fresh tears on her cheeks. With a beckoning gesture from his charge, Link came forward to join Zelda in front of the Sheikah Elder and the pair were invited to sit on cushions that had been placed on the floor. They settled down, Zelda wiping away the dampness from her eyes as they watched a much younger Sheikah carry over a tray supporting a tea pot and four cups.

"This here is my granddaughter, Paya. Paya, this is the Princess of Hyrule who has been containing the calamity for the past century," Impa explained.

Zelda laughed nervously at such an introduction, and the two women inclined their heads politely to one another. Link wasn't quite sure who was pinker in the face at the moment.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Princess. My Grandmother has told me many tales about you, and your accomplishments with researching the lost arts of the Sheikah."

Paya spoke quietly, but she looked proud of herself for managing to speak without stuttering. Link gave her subtle thumbs up and her blush only got deeper.

"Oh! Impa!" Zelda chastised, watching as Impa chuckled, "what have you been telling her? Oh, Paya, it is a pleasure to meet you too. I do hope we can spend some time together to get to know one another. I assure you I am not as grand as she has made me out to be. Please sit with us."

"Th-that would be delightful, Princess, thank you!" Paya said, back straightening to improve her already perfect posture.

"Now that we are all introduced and comfortable I believe congratulations are in order first of all, and a heart felt thank you from all of us in Kakariko. Thanks to your combined efforts the Calamity is gone and this Kingdom can begin to heal."

Zelda beamed with pride, accepting a cup of tea from Paya as the younger Sheikah finally knelt down beside her, but Link started to frown. He pointed at Zelda, eyebrows knitted together and disbelief in his eyes.

"You disagree, Link?" Impa asked, raising one eyebrow slowly

"Yeah. I didn't do jack shit," Link said, incredulously.

Zelda immediately snorted a laugh in an aborted motion to drink her tea while Paya's mouth fell open and she nearly suffered whiplash with how fast she turned her head to stare at Link. The knight himself could have sworn he also heard either Dorian or Cado face-palm outside the closed doors.

Impa herself remained impassive for several seconds before a laugh built in volume until she was near enough cackling.

"Travelling all across Hyrule, battling and defeating fractures of the Calamity, freeing the Divine Beasts of their century long curse plus freeing the Princess herself is you doing … nothing?" The Sheikah Elder proposed, both eyebrows now raised as her mirth was subdued gradually.

"Well," Link started, but a hand placed at his elbow from Zelda halted any arguments he was still trying to construct. Over her shoulder, he could see that Paya was now staring, mouth still open in shock, at her Grandmother.

 _Maybe I shoulder consider another self-imposed vow of silence,_ Link thought, before he realised how upset Zelda would be if he suddenly went back to being a mute constantly.

"Link, we did this together, as we were always meant to," Zelda cast her sights to the side, biting her lip for a second. "We may have been about one hundred years later than expected, but we got there … eventually."

"That you did," Impa said. "As it is, better late than never, and I do not believe it to be fair to either of you to blame what happened on yourselves. No-one can control what fate has in store for them."

"Yeah, but, Zelda, I couldn't be there with you when you went to confront the Calamity like I should have," Link argued, sounding ashamed.

"Honestly, Link, you had suffered so many wounds and you were beyond exhausted I was amazed you still had enough left in you to get me safely out of Hyrule Field," Zelda countered, trying to sound comforting.

"It cost you one hundred years in constant stalemate with the literal incarnation of darkness and destruction. Compared to that, fighting petty clones of the original doesn't seem that hard."

"You had no memories!"

"Only because of your quick thinking allowing me to survive and come back to you! Which is a fair compromise."

While the Hylian pair bickered, trying to outdo each other as the best supportive friend, Paya had collected herself and given her Grandmother a cup of tea. The two Sheikah simply watched the back and forth between Princess and her Knight, a pleased smile growing on Impa's face, highlighting deep wrinkles as her joy grew. The younger of the two watched silently, face obscured behind her cup but her eyes flickered between the two Hylians in rapt attention.

Eventually, Link and Zelda petered off into an embarrassed silence as they realised they were arguing in front of the person they had come to see.

"Have you two come to an agreement of sorts?" Impa asked, not looking at the pair as she leaned down to hand her cup to Paya so she could fill it with more tea.

The once Princess of Hyrule and her Appointed Knight turned to each other and nodded resolutely, both secretly pleased by the perseverance the other exhibited for their cause. With a fresh cup of tea in hand, Impa motioned for Paya to leave them for a short while and then fixed them both with her calm eyes.

"As I understand it from your letter, there is something pertinent that you wish to discuss with me," The Sheikah Elder prompted, after Paya had left them quietly to walk outside.

This was it, the moment was here and Zelda took a deep breath, feeling a small nudge from Link beside her. Her mind was made up, ultimately she would not be swayed, but Impa's response would still mean the world to her.

"Impa … I'm not rebuilding the monarchy."

The cup of tea in Impa's old but steady hands paused on its way to her mouth.

"I'm afraid I'm going to need some clarification on that matter, my dear," the Sheikah Elder said, sounding calm but the tight grip on her tea cup demonstrated otherwise.

The divine-blooded Hylian repressed a nervous fidget and decided to just get it all over with.

"I've seen what is left of Hyrule and while, yes, there are vast areas that have been destroyed and that are crumbling, the functioning towns and villages are doing just fine. Admittedly, organisation between these residential zones is lacking in some areas, and there needs to be a better system of communication between the races, but these issues can be solved by forming a council. With representatives from each region, issues can be brought forward and discussed, leading to partnerships with one another for a solution. You don't need a monarchy for that. I would serve no purpose but as a figurehead. I hold no actual power any more, Impa. I cannot force anyone to bow to me simply because I bear a title that hasn't been used in over a century, and, honestly, I think it would be insulting to try. Hyrule has survived without a monarchy for one hundred years, but it was an arrogant monarchy that nearly brought it to ruin forever."

There was a long pause; Zelda's most trusted confidant was watching her with intense focus. Occasionally she took a sip of tea as she considered how to respond, but she had not interrupted and waited to ensure that Zelda had said all she wanted to before presenting her thoughts.

"I can see you've given this a lot of consideration," Impa sighed, cradling her empty cup carefully in her lap, "and I must say, I am impressed."

A wide smile filled Impa's face and Zelda wasn't sure whether she dares to hope that she might actually be able to pull this off, or if this was the calm before the storm.

"Do you really mean that? You're not going to try to convince me to rebuild the Kingdom?"

"Good heavens, what is it with you two," she gestured between the pair of Hylians sat before her, looking stern, "and second guessing my intentions. If you _had_ wanted to rebuild your Kingdom, as it is yours by right, then I would have made any necessary arrangements to support you. However, it soothes my heart to know that even after all this time you are still confident in your own ideals, and not some agenda you feel you must adhere to for the sake of appearances."

Pushing herself off her tower of cushions, in a surprisingly agile manner, Impa came forward to pat Zelda on the shoulder.

"Please try to relax now, dear, you're wound tighter than a bow string. You will always be welcome here no matter what you choose to do with your life. I'd say you've more than earned the right."

Impa continued to totter off in search of Paya outside, no doubt by the offering statues, leaving Zelda and Link sitting on the floor staring after her. Neither could believe it had been that easy.

 _Dorian has just informed me that he's on night patrol today and that I should take his bed. I'll move the kids into their own beds and go to sleep._

 _I wonder what Zelda and I will do tomorrow. Things are going to be very interesting from now on._

* * *

 _Apparently, the first port of call was to visit the tailors, I think Claree may have had a small heart attack when Zelda introduced herself. Clearly, the Sheikah are far more versed in the legend of the Calamity than the rest of Hyrule, for which we can be thankful._

 _Now with her future fully within her control, Zelda is going full speed ahead with her desire to become a Researcher. That includes getting herself an outfit for field excursions and experiment work, and it only took Claree a week, which gave us time to introduce Zelda to all the villagers._

 _Personally, I think she simply missed her old outfit, but I am the last person to judge her on aesthetic preferences._

Zelda did a twirl inside Claree's shop, now wearing a brand new royal blue coat, styled after the clothes she used to wear outside of the Castle before the Calamity. The front of the coat fastened together as her old shirt had done, but the tails of the coat draped over the sides of her hips and down the backs of her legs. Trimmed in gold ribbon, it contrasted wonderfully with the rich colour of the main fabric, a durable cotton blend that the Sheikah textile's master had worked a little magic into.

"I may have given it some resistances, after you told me what you would be doing in it," Claree said, off-handedly, as she leaned over the counter to watch Zelda continue to prance around in her new outfit. "It was a good challenge; I would love to design more items for you in the future should you need any thing specific."

The Sheikah winked, and the ecstatic Hylian in front of her nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh absolutely, I know I most certainly will have some specifics. Quite soon, hopefully, but that depends on some things I need to speak to Link about."

Both women turned to see Link looking a little dazed in Zelda's direction and Claree snorted, loudly.

"Hey, Hero boy, Hyrule is calling!"

"Huh?" Link came back to himself, turning his head to Claree in confusion as she started sniggering.

"Nothing to worry about, Link, I take it you like my new coat?" Zelda asked, hiding the immense pleasure she felt at managing to catch him so off guard, and because of _her_ no less. Talk about an ego boost.

Link gave her double thumbs up with a happy smile and Zelda could almost imagine him with a furiously wagging fluffy tail.

"Excellent. Thank you once again Claree, I'm looking forward to going out into the field with this. In fact, I'm going to go right now," she decided.

Turning on her heel, she walked briskly out of the shop and Link found himself following her on autopilot. He caught Claree waving at them as they left, smug smile still set in place and gloating eyes following Link all the way out.

Zelda's wandering found them traversing over the grass fields outside the hills of Kakariko. The tall grasses of the Sahasra Slope swayed intermittently, and there was a constant background of soft chirping from insects and birds a-like. Admiring the view for a solid minute, they could appreciate the light reflecting off Nabi Lake ahead of them and the lax nature of nearby animals.

Following by example, Zelda knelt down and lay back into the grass, her coat fanning out around her legs.

"I feel amazing right now," she breathed, eyes closing, "I don't even remember a time I felt this good."

Link dropped down to his knees gracelessly, before flipping round to lie down on his back with a flump. A couple of disturbed dandelions shed some seeds and they drifted over Zelda's face, causing her to scratch a sudden itch on her cheek. He placed his hands over his stomach, not needing to actually look at what his artificial hand was doing in order for it to go where it was meant to. The weight registered on his sternum and over the tune of everyday grassland wildlife he could hear the deep humming coming from within the manufactured arm.

"We used to do this a lot," Zelda said, she sounded quiet but only because anything louder would have disturbed the natural ambience of their resting place. "Towards the end, when I realised you were not silently judging me, you would always indulge my desire to stay out of the castle for as long as possible. You never questioned my spontaneous desire to investigate a random patch of grass half way across a field. You never raised an eyebrow when I asked you reach something from a tree or a high cliff. You just … did it. Anything I asked." Zelda tilted her face to the side to see Link staring back at her, "why did you do that?"

"Because you asked me to," Link answered.

"You needn't have though. It wasn't as if you would have gotten into trouble for not following my orders, you took you're Oath before my father, not me."

"You asked me to, and I knew it would make you happy."

If Link continued to be so damn honest Zelda wasn't sure she was going to be able to keep her composure much longer. She was saved from having to respond to that statement by feeling something land on her head. It took a lot of effort to refrain from springing up into a sitting position and instead she tried to evaluate what had decided to rest in her hair. A strained noise to her right indicated that Link was in a similar position.

Tilted her head up slowly, Zelda roamed her eyes up over Links face and then up into his tousled hair. There, sitting without a care in the world, was a tireless frog. It blinked its eyes independently at her.

"You have a frog," she said, looking back down to Links eyes.

"So do you," he responded, "what colour is mine? Yours is green."

"It's a red one. Wait! Link give me the Sheikah Slate, slowly!"

With great care, and not breaking eye-contact, Link reached a hand to his side to unclip the Sheikah Slate from his hip and hand it over to Zelda.

"Scooch in a bit, I have to document this," she said, in a hushed voice lest she disturb their visitors.

As Link shuffled over a little bit, the frog on his head started to walk down over his face. It placed a webbed foot directly over his eye, and Link stopped moving immediately while Zelda giggled.

She snapped a shot of the pair of them lying down in the grass, hearts light and souls carefree, as Link tried desperately not to shake the frog off his face and Zelda continued to laugh.

 _I am a little suspicious, however. After Zelda got her new coat, she told me to step outside for a minute and I wasn't allowed back in until she came to get me. I wonder what she was doing._

* * *

 _Zelda gifted me something today. I've never received a gift like this before, but at least now I know why I was shoo'd out of Claree's._

 _Apparently, the idea came to her when we were discussing visits to the four nations within Hyrule. Obviously, the question of how I had managed to get into Gerudo Town was asked and I had to explain my amicable agreement with Chief Riju._

 _It seems she had noticed that my affinity for pretty objects was still alive and well even after the Shrine of Resurrection. I had also told her of various times I had been complimented on my appearance when in my Vai outfit by the Gerudo. Most would have shrugged it off as a man simply basking in a woman's attention, thankfully_ _the Princess_ _Zelda knows me better than that._

 _I was pleasantly surprised by what she gave me._

It was setting out to be a day of intermittent sunshine and showers, which meant it was a perfect excuse to stay inside and work on the house. There was a knock at the door that signalled that weeks morning post and Zelda went to answer it with a spring in her step, clearly energised from her blackberry and nettle tea.

Opening the door she greeted the mailman warmly, who bowed good-naturedly in response. He was always happy to go a little out of the way from his regular mail route to deliver here, as he was always given such a cheerful reception. She took the bundle of correspondence from the mailman, and asked him how his wife and son were doing. Last she had asked his son was taking some sword fighting lessons, and Zelda had been of a mind to discuss it with Link but she inevitably got distracted by something else.

After wishing the postman well, Zelda handed over the required rupees and then bid the man farewell as he started to walk back across the bridge leading away from Link and Zelda's house. Turning back into the house she started to rifle through the various letters and small paper packages. No doubt the small packages were from Paya, containing an assortment of plant seeds she collected from around the Fairy Fountain next to Kakariko Village. The door was just about finished swinging closed when she stared at one sheaf of paper in her hands and shoved the rest of the mail onto the dinner table before darting back out of the door.

Link didn't even have time to open his mouth to ask how the postman was.

Zelda returned just under an hour later with a package wrapped in brown paper tucked close to her chest. Setting the package down on the table, she ignored Link's questioning gaze as she came into the house.

While Link got up to make another pot of tea, with less nettle and more blackberry this time, Zelda was carefully peeling back the paper bundle to peek inside. She let out a appreciative noise and started to bounce on the tips of her feet. The former knight was immensely curious but trusted that she would explain when she ready. He didn't have to wait long.

"Link?" She said, turning around in a full spin to locate him.

"Hmm?" Link responded, pausing in his measurement of dried nettle as he turned to her.

"Could you come here, please?"

Dutifully, he stopped what he was doing and came to stand beside her. She instantly started tugging at his hylian tunic.

"Take this off."

Considering, that by this point she had asked more bizarre things of Link he only hesitated for a couple of seconds before dragging the material up and over his head, making sure to place it carefully over the back of his chair. She then grabbed him by the upper arm to drag him over to the full length mirror they had propped up against the wall next to the shield displays.

Demanding that he stay put, she went back over to the far side of the table to retrieve the still mostly wrapped package and came back. Zelda tapped her fingers rhythmically against the paper as she looked at Link over the top of the bundle in her hands.

"I need you to close your eyes."

To this, the Champion blinked in response, beginning to become slightly wary of her intentions. A certain elixir debacle was still fresh in his mind.

"Do you not trust me?" she asked, aiming for teasing but still coming across as unsure.

"Of course I do," Link said, quickly to assuage her fears.

"Then close your eyes!" A bright and happy smile was back on her features once more.

Link obeyed immediately, standing before a mirror baring all his scars, in nothing but his hylian leggings. There was a loud crinkling noise and then fabric rustling to his right. He felt Zelda tap his upper arms, and then her hands gently grasping his wrists as she drew them up straight above his head.

"Stay there."

Then fabric was being draped past his arms and over his head, at least he assumed it went over his right arm too as he could only feel it on his left. After pulling it around his chest, Zelda let the fabric fall around his hips, and Link felt her pulling at it in various places. She then moved to adjust the fabric around his arm - _arms?_ \- slipping something over the middle finger of his left hand and, he guessed, his right. Giggling, she tugged at his arms to bring them back down by his sides once more after he had left them up for no reason. Her hands then went to the back of his head, undoing his hair tie and letting his blonde tresses flow down the back of his shoulders. She fluffed his hair a bit and then placed something on his head and secured it to sit on his brow.

She fiddled with the fabric in a few more places, and drew strands of hair out from behind the object on his head.

"Ok, open your eyes."

Whatever he had been expecting upon seeing his reflection again, he would never have imagined this.

The fabric he had felt being draped over his form was a long ice blue tunic that fit snugly around his torso and flowed into long, loose sleeves. The sleeves gathered at the cuffs around his wrists before covering the backs of his hands in a diamond shape. He spotted a small loop of ribbon at the tip of each diamond which he put around his middle finger to secure the cover in place. The design of the sleeves meant they easily fit over his prosthetic and wouldn't restrict his movements. The object he had felt being placed over his forehead was his own sapphire circlet which could be seen in between the strands of his hair, the main centre piece holding the stone rested against his forehead.

"I can get you a darker coloured one so you can still beat up monsters and not have to worry about staining it. It's just that this colour suits you," Zelda assured, watching as Link started to swish the looser fabric around his thighs. He looked awed at his appearance before turning to Zelda sharply at her words.

"You don't mind … this," he gestured at his clothes and then at himself.

"I'm the one who got it for you, of course I don't mind. If you mean, more specifically, do I mind that your attraction to pretty objects nearly rivals that of a magpie? Then that is also a no. Which is precisely why I asked Claree to make this for you. The letter I got this morning was to say it had arrived in Hateno's Dye shop."

Link responded with a smile and turned back to the mirror, getting more particular with his adjustments as he truly settled into his new outfit. He looked thoughtfully at the circlet on his head before removing it and placing it down gently on the table beside them. He leaned over the table for the Slate on the other side, dragging it closer to him as he selected the headgear from the Desert Voe armour. The items appeared on the table next to the slate and Link picked up the choker, turning back to the mirror to fix it in place around his neck. Placing his hands on his hips, he admired his appearance for a few seconds before turning back to Zelda and rewarding her with a huge grin.

"Thank you."

Zelda approached Link again, standing beside him as they both look into the mirror.

"You're very welcome, now you don't have to wear that Gerudo Vai outfit anymore. Don't think I hadn't noticed the tan, those clothes do nothing to protect you from the sun." She paused for a moment before posing her next question. "If I may ask, why the choker?"

Link shrugged.

"I just like feeling something around my neck, it's comforting."

"Oh."

If the smaller Hylian noticed Zelda look off to the side for a second, her ears a bright red, he read nothing into it. She turned back, and they inspected their reflection in contemplative silence for a couple of minutes.

"You know, you really are almost as pretty as I am. Almost."

Link just nudged his head against hers, laughing, whilst privately thinking to himself, _no-one is prettier than you._

* * *

 **Fun fact, got the white horse and called it Ophelia before getting the quest and I didn't realise it was specifically referred to as a stallion until too late. But it fits in with the running theme I have for Link that he's terrible at naming things.**

 **So, the DLC2 dropped while I was writing this so I had to do 3 chapters instead of just 2. I need that bike.  
(Also I'm so glad that some of my plans for this fic can now have some canon backup and I WILL be working in some of that DLC2 stuff in later chapters, with Zelda along for the ... ride)**


	10. Aftermath: Part 3

_Once the Princess gets a new project in mind, she is relentless._

 _Following Zelda's announcement to Impa, she's finally settling into her own skin, and in this house. We started having small discussions about potential renovations to the house and drawing up plans for her to have her own research lab. Recently, it's become an in depth project of hers as designs for distillation equipment and storage plans are starting to make an appearance on the dining table._

The initial discussions had been fairly simple; curious questions and many potential ideas that Link hadn't actually put much thought into making a reality. Apparently, Zelda had the drive and forethought to make such things possible. Coupled with the fact that Purah had lost patience waiting for 'those two inconsiderate simpletons' to come up to her lab, the researcher herself has snuck down into the village and nearly knocked down the front door. To say Link was impressed that someone barely three feet had nearly managed to take the door off its hinges was an understatement. The former Princess and the young Sheikah had immediately re-bonded, despite the century long absence, by bouncing ideas for house improvements off one another. Hyrule's Champion had been content to watch from the comfort of his den under the stairs, occasionally refilling the teapot for the two brainiacs.

Sheets of paper detailing scrapped floor plans and extensions to the house now sat in a pile on the writing desk in the loft space. The more successfully argued designs were spread out on the table of the ground floor weighed down by large pieces of luminous stone. As one does, of course.

The plans depicted bold lines for the outline of the house as it currently stood, including the unused chimney spire, and then dotted lines for the loft level. Additions in Zelda's hand, and a couple of pieces of input from Link, were scratched in later detailing item placements and room renovations. Some of the plans were of specific rooms and proposed layouts for furniture and storage. The most labelled and doctored plan was that of Zelda's potential research space, which she was planning to place in the built up space under the loft. As Link perused the plans, yet again, Zelda stood staring at the plastered walls that seemed to support the loft level and currently encased her envisioned work area.

"Link? Do you have any idea what this is?" She asked.

The Ex-Knight turned his attention to the odd structure under the loft. As far as he could tell, it was solid brickwork that had been brought in from the outer walls to support the loft that was to be built above it. The three shield displays he had bought from Bolson had been placed on the largest wall of the structure.

[Loft support?] Link ventured uncertainly, supplementing his hand signals with raised eyebrows to make it read like a question.

"See, that's what I thought, but if that were the case then why are there beam supports at the corners and across this wall here," Zelda walked down to the section of wall that faced their under-the-stairs den and Link followed. "If this was just an extension of brickwork from the outer walls of the house for support, then there would be no need for the wooden beams."

Link made a noise of consideration and then one of surprise as he patted the wall in front of him. He took a step forward to expect the surface of the wall more closely, noticing that the plastering texture changed about halfway for a couple of feet before returning again at the other end. Everywhere else on the inset structure had large sweeping textures, no doubt whoever had sealed in the brick work had used long and complete strokes to level out the plaster. The patch that ran from the floor to the wooden underside of the loft level above them displayed short and much smoother strokes.

[Door] Link signed succinctly before outlining a vague rectangle on the wall with his finger, and he heard Zelda clap her hands once beside him.

"My thoughts exactly, which leads me to suspect that it was once a room that later got sealed up. I wonder why?"

The pair fell into a contemplative silence for a few minutes, each coming up with their own private theories, before Link asked the obvious question by pointing at the wall and then making a short but powerful punching gesture.

"Oh, most definitely."

The original plan had been to excavate the area under the loft from the outside, but now it seemed that there was an easier way to achieve their plans. By knocking down the wall.

It took the small Hylian about thirty minutes to locate Bolson and Karson. For once, the construction duo had not been sitting under the tree in front of their house and instead were enjoying some fresh confectioneries from the bakery in town. Link may also have spent five of the thirty minutes it took to retrieve Bolson and Karson eating some spiral pastries, but he made sure to get some extra for Zelda. He had discovered that she had an incredibly strong sweet tooth, so they were both doomed.

As he lead them back up to their house, Link informed the two construction workers of the plan to knock in the interior wall. He was surprised to find that Bolson had been equally curious what was inside the structure.

"I knew it seemed a little odd. The raised walkway around the house is made of stone we use to make roads, not houses. So why would they have built the outside wall inward? The ground around here is easy enough to dig up so it's not as if the house had to be built _around_ something," Bolson said.

Link merely shrugged, he wasn't about to pretend he knew anything to do with masonry or building work.

As the trio walked into the house, they spotted Zelda inspecting the wooden vertical beams at the corners of the internal walls. Her intense gaze would fix on the wood grain, follow it up to the underside of the loft and then follow it along the top edge. A slight tilt of her head and her fingers tapped rhythmically against the upper part of her crossed arms. The building plans that had before been open and weighed down on the table were now rolled up tightly. The door creaked as it closed, like it always does, and Zelda straightened up before turning around to greet her visitors.

"Hello, you must be Bolson," she said, coming forward to shake the man's hand and then she turned to the younger Hylian that had accompanied him. "And you must be Karson. Pleasure to meet you both, my name is Zelda. I trust Link has already explained our situation?"

"He has indeed," Bolson confirmed, a genuine smile on his face at such a warm introduction, "and it shouldn't be a problem for us. Might take a couple of days to make sure we don't remove anything load bearing in the process, but assuming that there was a door in place already it should be a simple job."

A knocking sound could be heard from the space under the stairs and Karson's voice drifted out.

"Doesn't sound hollow but there is definitely a different build material here. It was most likely added in later."

"Okie do, in that case we can get started as soon as possible. I would advise you to not stay here while we work though. So, when would be convenient for you two?"

Zelda and Link looked at each other, the latter of the two shrugging in response to the silent question that passed between them. The researcher turned back to Bolson, who was now rejoined by Karson, and clasped her hands together in front of her.

"We're also planning some other … adjustments to the house," Zelda said, slowly, one of her hands now drifting back towards the table to her side.

"Oh?" Bolson prompted, raising an eyebrow with his easy going smile growing, "and what do you have in mind for these 'adjustments'?"

Placing her hand down on the table she felt her finger alight around a scroll of well worn paper. She brought up the roll of plans swiftly in front of her to hand to Bolson.

"I'm so glad you asked."

 _Turns out Zelda isn't the only one who gets slightly manic with the idea of a new project in their hands. Bolson was equally enthusiastic about the idea of renovating the house and has since given his own suggestions, pointing out that the wooden shed at the back could be connected to the house and used for mass storage which would save space inside._

 _He estimates that he can have the whole lot done in about two weeks, but that the job – in his words- 'would not be cheap'._

 _I asked if he accepted payment in lumps of ruby and I'm not sure who started to laugh first, Zelda or Karson. Apparently, I was now well known for my trading using chucks of rare gemstone for various items across the village. Turns out, Bolson is partial to sapphires._

[please see A/N for blueprint image]

* * *

 _While Bolson construction worked on the house, Zelda and I took an extended trip to gather research materials for her new workshop. I never realised how pleasing it would be to see her so excited._

 _She could barely contain herself when we left. She wanted to go everywhere at once. I can't wait to ask Purah about using Shrine Teleportation with more than one person, but for the mean time we're travelling the old fashioned way._

Coat tails of a deep brilliant blue rippled along a breeze that blew past a golden-haired Hylian as she trekked up into the mountainous region of Lanayru. A shorter Hylian stayed close behind her, his bright blue tunic embroidered with white stood out in a stark contrast from the muted stone colours and dark greens surrounding them. One of his arms was bare save for a bandage wrapped around his forearm and a dark brown fingerless glove. His other arm was made of a dark material, decorated with swirling patterns of pale sandstone, and was clearly visible. In between the relief designs an amber glow shifted and flickered, complimenting the static blue illumination peeking through the joints of the mechanical limb. The pair made an unusual sight among the highlands of Lanayru. They had been travelling for about five days, with no clear destination in mind only to eventually venture into Zora's Domain, they meandered and gathered any materials that caught their eye.

Zelda lead the way, looking down at the Sheikah Slate she clutched in front of her chest, and Link followed a couple of steps behind; a nostalgic echo for the lands of Hyrule one hundred years prior.

"I will have to record what combinations and quantities of materials produce which elixirs and how long they last for. Also, I need to note their potency. Gosh, that's a lot of combinations, especially if I can manage to get the dual effects to work in a single elixir."

Link wasn't sure if Zelda was actually speaking _to_ him or if she was happy to talk to herself. _Then again,_ he thought as he watched her swipe hurriedly through the Hyrule Compendium, _she's probably used to speaking to herself even in my presence anyway for all the good it used to do her._

He therefore decided to make an effort and actually respond to her.

"Actually, the Slate does that for you."

Zelda actually stopped walking, her forefinger paused on the screen of the Sheikah Slate, as she heard him speak. She turned to look over her shoulder in surprise. _She was speaking to herself._

"It does what, now?"

"The Slate, it … calculates those things whenever I make an elixir and add it to my inventory," Link explained, only now just realising that this was a function the Slate had built into it. Zelda's facial expression seemed to suggest that she hadn't been aware of such a function at all.

"That is incredibly useful," she paused, "it also saves you from having to down a lot of elixirs."

"What?" Link asked, completely blind sided by her comment but she was already turning back around to continue walking.

"I wonder who it was that programmed the Slate to do that, and why? Could it be that my predecessor instructed for this tool to be made by the Sheikah in order to aid her Hero? Or was it something that was added subsequently?" She shook her head, clearing her mind of various hypothesis she continued to conjure. "In either case it's becoming abundantly clear that this Slate was intended as a utility device for the Hero to use. The runes, the access to the Shrines, and the safeguarding of the four Divine Beasts, not to mention it's capacity to hold hundreds of items of various size and weight while on the move. Oh, I do wish there were _some_ records from all those years ago, but if the Sheikah themselves have nothing I doubt we'll be able to find anything by ourselves."

Zelda sighed.

This was precisely why she was slowly working on her idea to create a giant resource stronghold for all sorts of academia and records, to be protected through the ages. While Ganon appeared to have lost his final gambit and thus his ability to reincarnate, she was well aware that he had not been the only wielder of the dark forces to threaten Hyrule. Should a time come for the Divine Beasts to be used once again she was going to make sure their future was well armed with knowledge. She knew, ideally, where this stronghold would have to be. It was the only place that made sense.

"Link? How well fortified do you suppose the Castle is now?"

He was constantly amazed by how quickly she managed to go from one conversation to a completely separate one, but he knew that in her mind they were connected. She had slowed down to allow him to catch up and start to walk by her side as he focused inwardly, recalling the state of the Castle the last time he had been there.

"Monster wise, probably not very. I've noticed that there are less monsters camped out in the open or near the roads. I doubt there are many still within the Castle now that we've dealt with the … infestation."

Zelda's lips twitched upward.

"Structurally, the Castle wasn't too bad. Some of the walls need rebuilding, and various rooms and hallways had collapsed, but the majority is still good. The walls and gatehouses are still standing too." Link sped up a little so that when he was walking ahead of Zelda he could turn, walk backwards and give her a questioning look. "Why? Are you thinking about going back?"

"Not just yet," she admitted, slowing down her pace so Link didn't accidentally trip over a rock even though she was positive he weird sixth sense would kick in before that happened. "I am considering having the castle restored and then used as a repository for information. Books, maps, records, data, research notes, all of it could be kept there and even maybe the place could become a place of learning. Anyone from the Kingdom could come to read, learn, or expand on knowledge we already have. A research institution."

Zelda's gaze had drifted off to look over the scenery around them while she spoke but when she looked back she could see an excited smile on Link's face.

"I take it you support the idea. The place will need to be well protected too, so new Guards will need to be trained." She stared rather pointedly at her previous Knight. He blinked at her a couple of times before bringing a hand up to point at himself, eyes wide. "Well, yes, ideally it would be you I would ask to train them, assuming I can devise a solid plan as to how the place will operate, of course. So, what do you say?"

Link gave it some serious consideration but, ultimately, he knew what his answer would be. Now that he was no longer required as the Princess' appointed knight he was worried that he would simply stagnate and rust away. The plan to restore the Castle into a place where ideas could be cultivated and encouraged was laced with enough irony that Link couldn't help but be delighted. This would give him a long-running purpose and it was something he could work towards. With no more shrines he lacked the promise of challenges to come, so teaching new recruits would fulfil that desire. Circumventing a boulder that almost clipped his ankles, he nodded.

"I imagined you would, but it's still polite to ask. Oh, and while I'm already asking for favours..." Zelda drifted off as she came to a stop which led to Link coming to an abrupt stop as well. He became immediately suspicious when Zelda pressed her hands together in front of her face and gave him her best, and most persuasive, smile. "You agreed you would help me with my research and accompany me on trips, does that include being a tester for any elixirs I create?"

 _I fear for my imminent future, but I can't say that I'm not a little excited to see what happens - and I did say I was willing to be her test subject. I trust her not to kill me. While we were in the area we finally got around to visiting Zora's Domain._

The sun was directly over the ravine that protected the Zora's homeland with cliffs of iridescent smooth rock. The rays of light from the sky diffracted off the outcrops of polished stone, worn down from years of relentless downpour in the wet seasons of Lanayru, to create a blue and purple tint over the land below. Coupled with the naturally luminescent minerals in this province and the aesthetic additions by the Zora, the Domain managed to calm the soul merely by gazing upon it.

"This place hasn't changed a bit, still as beautiful and serene as it was one hundred years ago. I do hope His Majesty Dorephan is doing well. I'm glad to see that the Domain managed to be spared from the onslaught of the Guardians. I wonder if the Guardians have an aversion to water" Zelda pondered, peering up at the giant fish themed structure that stood proudly atop the royal palace as they walked over the Great Zora bridge.

"One got close but King Dorephan himself took care of that. He threw it into a ravine," Link told her, a small grin appearing on his face and missing the concerned look growing on Zelda's face.

"Does it ever hurt to come here?" Zelda asked, "I mean, this place was very nearly your home." She placed a hand on Link's shoulder softly, bringing them to a stop on the bridge, "plus, King Dorephan would have been your father-in-law."

Link managed to nearly choke on air, completely taken by surprise as his ears tilted down and became a furious shade of red. "H-How do you know about that?"

Zelda gave him a look that said, 'Link, please, who do you think I am?'

"I saw the Zora Armour in the Slate's inventory, Link. I know what it means," she gave him a bittersweet smile, "and I know she loved you very much. We all knew."

Link looked away, eyebrows coming together and eyes narrowing.

"Did … did I ever acknowledge it? Did I ever … say anything about it?"

"Not to me," Zelda sighed, giving Link's shoulder a supportive squeeze before letting him go, "I'm sorry."

He sighed but smiled gratefully none-the-less, nodding his head towards the heart of the Domain.

"Come on, no doubt Sidon has spotted us and is wondering why we've stopped half way."

"Is that the good-looking Prince you told me about, hmm? Mipha's little brother?"

"Zelda, please, and he's hardly _little_."

"Not to worry, I was raised a Princess, I will be on my best behaviour."

 _I should never have introduced Prince Sidon to Zelda. Those two get on far too well and that spells trouble for me. Now she has back up. Great time for you to finally learn what friendly teasing is, Sidon._

"Good lord, you were not kidding," Zelda murmured into Link's ear as they approached the Prince by the main entrance to the Domain. The tall red Zora stood strong and proud as he waited patiently for them at the other end of the bridge.

"I did warn you," Link hissed back before beaming up at the towering shark Prince.

"Link!" Sidon greeted, arms wide, "it's absolutely wonderful to see you my dear friend, and who, might I ask, is this wonderful flower?"

He was already bowing towards Zelda before he could see Link nearly shove his entire fist into his mouth, eye wide, as his shoulders started to shake. Zelda herself was fighting off a massive grin and instead allowed herself a wide smile and inclined her head in return.

"Why thank you, Prince Sidon, I must say it is a pleasure to finally meet you, Link has told me much about you. In answer to your question, however, you may call me Zelda," she extended her hand to shake one of Sidon's clawed ones.

"Zelda, what a spectacular-," Sidon paused, eyes going wide all of a sudden, hands still carefully encompassing Zelda's as he stared at here. Then it clicked. "Link!"

The embarrassed Prince rounded on the small Hylian who was now clutching his knees in an attempt to stay vaguely upright as he laughed with tears in his eyes. Zelda just looked bemused by the whole situation, inwardly wondering how she would be able to get Link to laugh like that again.

"Link, this is most unfair of you. You could have at least sent word ahead that you would be arriving with the PRINCESS OF HYRULE!"

"Say … it louder … Sidon … there might … be Zoras who … didn't … hear you," the hysterical Hylian gasped, still trying to control his hysteria while Sidon pouted and folded his arms petulantly.

"I apologise, Prince Sidon," Zelda placated, "I should have warned you, but I don't come here as the Princess of Hyrule, I am here as a friend of Link's. Only I would like to have a word with your father if that is convenient?"

"Oh absolutely, your high- ahem, excuse me, Zelda... friend of Link," Sidon said, smiling down warmly at the pair of Hylians, "right this way, I will escort you there myself."

With a bright grin and his signature pose of determination, Sidon turned on his heel to lead them to his father and Zelda was struck with such sudden nostalgia that it almost brought a tear to her eye. She was able to avoid causing a scene as Link shared a look between them that promised a humorous discussion later before they followed the Zora Prince. As they passed the guards, Rivan and Dunma, on duty by the archway Link saluted to them both, but he was surprised to see Rivan's eyes widen when he saw who was with him. Halfway through a salute in return, Rivan changed the gesture in favour of placing his fist over his chest and standing to attention, head bowed. Link was just as confused as Dunma by his actions but he heard Zelda gasp next to him and he turned in time to see her place an open hand over her heart and bow her head towards him in response.

"I can't believe the Zora here still remember that. Zora longevity is truly amazing," Zelda said in a hushed voice as they walked further into the Domain. She saw Link staring at her with eyebrows raised in silent query. "It was the customary greeting for members of the Hylian Royal Family, and I gave what was considered the respectful response in return."

Her companion gave a silent 'oh' in reply before turning his head forward again to follow their guide, not that either of them needed one. As they began to climb the wide staircase that led up to the Zoran Throne Zelda started to twist her fingers together. Luckily, she noticed the nervous habit herself before Link did and she tucked her fingers together in front of her. Regardless, Link could practically feel the tension radiating from her and he felt compelled to comfort her but before the pair knew it they were all standing in front of King Dorephan.

The gigantic King was sat back in his throne, his long tail wrapped around his back and the fluke resting to the side of him. He eyed his son with mixed interest and curiosity before letting his gaze roam over to two Hylians he'd brought in with him. One he fondly appraised instantly and the other...

"Father, I bring with me-" but Sidon stopped as he saw clear recognition on his father's face. He need not say more.

"Princess? Princess Zelda, please tell that it is truly you I see before me," King Dorephan implored, leaning forward in his chair.

"It is, King Dorephan. I am so happy to see that you are doing well, and thank you _so much_ for everything you have done to aide Link in his trials since he awoke," Zelda assured. She did not register the tears that had finally escaped to run down her cheeks, nor did she notice Prince Sidon slowly retreating backward towards her companion.

"Oh, my dear Princess. It soothes my heart to know that you are safe once again. Come closer, I believe we have much to discuss," King Dorephan said, sounding relieved and an easy smile stretched across his face as he relaxed back into his chair. Zelda began to approach when she felt the keen absence of Link by her side and turned around to see where he was. She located him still standing behind her with Sidon standing next to him; one of his clawed hands was resting on Link's mechanical shoulder.

"Link and I will be outside, I am a very demanding friend I'm afraid and I don't get much opportunity to catch up. We'll give you some peace," Sidon explained, and Muzu, who had been standing by the throne hidden until now, nodded his head in approval.

Before either of the Hylians parted they shared a silent conversation; Zelda asking with a raised but tense eyebrow whether he was comfortable with this. Link reassured her with a minute nod and an open, unguarded expression. She gave him an appreciative smile in return Zelda before transferring her attention to King Dorephan, while Link and Sidon walked down the staircases to stand by the statue of Mipha.

Sidon was briefly accosted by Laflat, on the way, so he could answer some questions about the new routes that were now accessible as the waterways had become safer, which allowed Link to walk on ahead and disengage for a moment. Looking up at Mipha's face immortalised in stone, he let himself have a moment to search for a presence he had not consciously felt since his battle with Ganon.

 _Mipha, are you still here or are you free now?_ his eyes were on the statue but his gaze was inward, searching for a voice that he selfishly hoped was still there. _I have no idea whether defeating Ganon allowed you to finally be at peace or if you're still tied to me. While I don't begrudge your company, far from it, I can't help but feel ill at ease that you might be stuck here when you deserve to be at peace. No. You deserve to be alive._

Before Link's thought could turn sour and down a path of self recrimination he felt an itch build along his left elbow. Peering down at his arm and turning it around with his other hand, he was able to see a small burn he'd acquired from a cooking accident turn white and then fade away entirely. He stared at the spot where the burn had been; not even a smooth pale scar was left in its wake, only untarnished skin.

 _Mipha?_

"Apologies, Link, but with your efforts at Hyrule Castle we're finally able to re-open our trade routes with the rest of the Kingdom. We can start rebuilding our outposts that we lost further down the Zora River and re-colonising Lake Hylia."

The Prince was obviously very excited so Link looked up at Mipha's statue one last time before he turned away and gave the approaching Prince his full attention. As soon as the tall Zora started speaking again, however, Link wished his attention was elsewhere.

"Now then, my dear friend, I can see you have the Princess back with you now. Does that mean you two are now a mated pair?"

Link's heart nearly gave out as his mind went horrifyingly blank. _Sidon, what the f-_

"I only ask because of the conversation we had together the last time you were here, and you both seem very close. You were able to have a conversation just now completely non-verbally using only your eyes. That is a sign of a deep bond between two individuals, where their souls can communicate for them. Did you confess as soon as she returned or has it been more recent?"

"Sidon … Zelda is way out of my league..." Link said, weakly, trying desperately not to drop to the floor as his legs were refusing to obey his desire to run from this conversation. The Prince tilted his head, his head fin trailing over his shoulder on one side.

"I'm afraid I do not understand this 'league' that you speak of, but perhaps you are intimidated by her status? She is of a Royal breed."

"Can you stop talking about us like we're dogs?" Link asked, his voice near failing him already.

"I'm sorry my friend, but Hylian courting is very strange. But if you forgive my use of this analogy for convenience sake, then I suppose you would believe yourself to be of a … lesser breed?"

Sidon didn't seem to even be talking directly to Link any more and was instead trying to explain the situation to himself. Link tilted his head back with a groan, eyes rolling skyward but Sidon was trying. _Bless him._ Putting his hands over his face, driving his forefingers into the space between his eyes and the bridge of his nose, he braced himself for what was to come.

"I am some mutt that someone took in out of pity," the small Hylian decided, drawing his hands away from his face and righting his posture.

"Oh nonsense," Sidon rebutted, the scales around the base of his head crest crinkled slightly. "You are a loyal guard dog, from a long line of pedigree defenders of the Kingdom. I think that would be a good match don't you?"

The 'loyal guard dog' didn't get a chance to respond because at that moment both of them heard a voice coming from behind Sidon.

"I heard the word pedigree, are you thinking of getting a dog, Link? I'll say now I'm partial to Hylian Retrievers. They're so well behaved and they're excellent protectors," Zelda side stepped around Sidon, looking from the red scaled Prince, to the now nearly equally red faced Hylian. "Link, are you alright?"

"Oh yes, he's fine," Sidon assured, drawing Zelda's attention to him while he gave Link a pat on the head, "he's just embarrassed that he's been caught out on his plan."

"Oh!" She turned back to Link, "in that case, if you are seriously considering it please take me with you to get a pup. I haven't seen a puppy since the one Father got when I was a child."

Link could do little more than sign an affirmative signal before he hid his entire face in his hands again, ears pricked all the way back, radiating heat. He was still able to hear Sidon's desperate attempts to not laugh at his predicament though.

 _I do think it's done Zelda good to see the Domain. Dorephan was apparently quick to welcome her back warmly, just as I knew he would, and she's now knee deep in the waters of the Veiled Falls. I think she's trying to catch more frogs, as if she hasn't already harassed their population enough._

 _I'm glad she has made some good friends here too. Laflat caught sight of her and was adamant that they walk and talk together for she was a great admirer of hers. I've noticed Zelda often gets extremely confused when people have favourable opinions of her, I hope with time I can convince her that these opinions are well earned._

 _I may have had to give her a bit of a push towards Laflat, but in the end she was able to make good ties with the Zora here, many of whom are in Sidon's little fan club. She told me and I quote "as much as I enjoy your company, Link, I must say, I am very happy to finally have some female friends."_

 _I decided not to comment._

* * *

 _Bolson construction have really outdone themselves this time. Apparently, Bolson mentioned the project to Hudson who immediately came over all the way from Tarrey Town. That man loves to build._

 _I genuinely thought Zelda was going to start crying with joy when she saw the new lab they had excavated out from the sealed up room under the loft space. They even managed to extend it out through the raised cobblestones surrounding the side of the house… but something strange happened when I tried to walk into the room though._

 _I knew there was a reason I saved this house._

Approaching their home on foot, incredibly tired but in fantastic spirits, the two Hylians noticed that neither Bolson or Karson were in the area. The place looked immaculate, too.

Coming to a stop at the end of the bridge, Zelda turned to Link with a confused expression and he shrugged in response. There didn't appear to be any active work currently going on in or around the house, but the pair had spent a bit longer roaming the countryside and staying in Zora's Domain than they had originally planned. They were not sure if the Sheikah Slate had a capacity limit for how much of one item it could store, but they were surely testing it's limits with how many materials they had collected.

While Zelda headed for the front door, Link skipped around the side of the house to check the back, noticing that the ground felt spongy underfoot as if it had been dug up recently. _Nobody here, huh._ Jogging back to the front door, Link spotted a strange looking pipe coming out of the ground and going into the side of his house. Assuming it was a piece of construction he carried on to stand beside Zelda in front of the still closed door. Breathing in, they both walked into the house.

It was exactly has Zelda had detailed in her floor plan.

Right in front of them stood an open fire place; a metal grate a foot high had been placed around the front just before the hearth, to protect from the naked flames that were, thankfully, absent. From their viewpoint, standing in the open front doorway, the pair of Hylians spotted two new doors leading into repurposed rooms from the main area. One door was on the side wall near the back.

As Link skidded over to pull the door open, he could confirm that it led into the previously unused extension on the side of Links house. It was now a mini bath house, with slate stone flooring and a bath that dipped into the ground enabling the whole place to act as a wet room. He spotted a note pinned to one of the wooden shelves against the back wall. Walking forward to unpin the paper and read the words he realised it hadn't just been Bolson Construction that had been involved with remodelling the house.

Hey Link.

I heard that this room was your idea? Go figure, I'm surprised you didn't move to Zora's Domain before the Calamity, but having you here in Hateno is convenient so I'll move on.

This house is in a good spot - otherwise I couldn't have gotten this to work as well as I did! You're situated right over free flowing water, but not only that, the water has been filtered through porous rock. It was a simple matter to install a pump system that can bring water from the river below up into this room. There's a valve by the pipe in the wall, release the pressure and the water gets sucked up into the bath. Cool right!? Anyway, you guys owe me big time, don't forget who you're favourite Sheikah is~

Purah x

Looking up around the room, Link could easily spot the Zoran inspired architecture, no doubt courtesy of Hudson who had been spending time with the elderly Zora, Kapson, now residing in Tarrey Town. The polished luminous stone lamps stood on shelves dotted about the walls, and he could see the valve Purah had mentioned in her note. He had to contain a happy squeak at the idea that he could just relax in water, whenever he wanted, _in_ his own house.

"I love Bolson," Link declared, leaning back out of the bath house while still clinging to the door.

"Likewise," came Zelda's voice from the room behind the second door they had spotted earlier.

The room Zelda had chosen to investigate had been the wooden shed at the back of Link's house, and was now their storage room, already it was filled with chests containing a variety of different tools, materials, and perishables.

"We also need to thank Purah at some point," Link said, handing her the note he found in the bath room. Zelda skimmed over it before clapping a hand over her mouth to stifle a bark of laughter.

"She never was very subtle, but yes I suppose we _do_ owe her for this," she agreed, waving the piece of paper in her hands as she returned to the main room to put it on the dining table. She drummed her fingers against the surface, refusing to look over towards the space by the stairs. Link stood beside her, switching his focus from the back of her head to the stairs and then back again, an excited grin growing on his face.

"Zelda…."

"I know!" She said, straightening up, "I know, it's just… this room is going to be very important to me and I still can't quite believe that I am in a position where I get to have this."

"Trust me, I know," Link assured, holding onto her upper arms gently as he steered her towards the space under the stairs. "When I got the memory of your Father belittling you for your interest in the Sheikah technology, I very nearly went back to the Great Plateau and demand he come back just so I could chew him out."

"Link, he's the King you can't do that!" Zelda said, scandalised.

"He's a ghost, what's he going to do? Haunt me?"

She shrugged her shoulders and nodded slightly, conceding the point. "We mustn't forget though, he was probably under just as much stress as we were to oversee the prophecy to completion. He was just trying to keep me focused."

"Oh, sure, just at the cost of your own self worth and happiness," Link replied, not even trying to hide his scathing tone. Zelda poked him in his side and he quickly twitched away from her.

"In hindsight, I'm almost glad you didn't talk in the Castle. I dread to think what would have happened had some of your thoughts slipped out."

"They wouldn't kill me," he said, smirking and Zelda almost gaped at such an expression on his face, "I was the Hero, remember? Couldn't risk me dying."

She turned to him with a finger raised ready to challenge his point, only to close her mouth with a click of her jaw and lower her hand. "You know, that's actually a good point; a rather terrifying one but a fantastic point nonetheless. The potential power you held with your position could have been incredibly advantageous."

"I was joking, but now I feel it was an opportunity wasted. Still, I don't think my loyalty would have allowed me to do anything treasonous, it would have been pretty ingrained by then."

"It isn't now?" Zelda asked, coyly, only intending it to be an off-hand comment. She had not expected Link's response.

"I am loyal to you, not the King." He said it so easily that she had nothing to respond with and was incredibly thankful that he seamlessly turned the conversation back to their original topic, "come on, I want to see your new lab!"

He began to lightly tug at her arm, leaning towards the space under the loft; she couldn't help herself when leaned in the opposite direction.

"You're like a child!"

"Growing up sucks, anyway. I'm dying here, Zelda, please."

Eventually, she relented, moving past Link to walk under the loft by the stairs, noticing that their haphazard den was no more. She felt a twinge of sorrow at its loss but she knew there was now a bigger bed up in the loft. They could both easily make that into a makeshift nest with their alarming amount of pillows and blankets. She turned her attention to the new door in the wall that was facing where their den used to be. The door that her new lab was hidden behind. She pushed the door inward and stuck her head in.

"Oh my gosh, yes," she hissed under her breath, walking into the room fully as she surveyed the room.

Bolson Construction had managed to extend the room through the stone wall surrounding the house and inset a bay window which overlooked the stable and the pond. She could see Geoffrey and Ophelia nibbling at bales of hay in their stalls, their ears twitching as meandering bees investigated them before becoming disinterested. Plenty of flowers grew all around the land by the house, the bees would be able to find a suitable spot soon, and now Zelda would be able to cultivate more plants.

Her new work benches were placed along the wall directly under the window, continuing into the corners of the room and along the side walls for a short stretch. Small shelves had been placed above her benches, where she could store her tools and eventual finished creations. Her books and field research notes could be placed in the bookshelf that formed a corner unit opposite the door, with a tall set of drawers beside it that she planned to house her materials sorted into alphabetical order. Or by elixir effect, she wasn't sure yet.

"Isn't this amazing?" Zelda asked, rotating on the spot to take in her new work space, "I can even see my extraction equipment like I had in the Royal Ancient Lab going in that corner. I'm glad I drew up plans for a new unit, but I still need to ask Purah for some opinions." She couldn't wait to get started, here in an area specifically for her use, in Link's house. Even though he had told her countless times that it was _their_ house, she still couldn't shake the fundamental idea that this was Link's home, and yet he allowed her to modify it. She spent another couple of minutes gazing out of the window, leaning on the work bench in front of it, before pushing herself away and turning to face the door. In the doorway, stood Link, completely still having not moved an inch since she entered the room with him following just behind her. "Link?"

He didn't hear her, he couldn't hear her, for all of his senses were suddenly taken back to a time a century before.

This room had once had a double bed in it, a cabinet for clothes, a chest at the bottom of the bed for weapons and armour, and a dressing table against the far wall. This room had once belonged to his parents. The memory was not clear like the ones prompted by the images in the Sheikah Slate, but it provided him with thoughts and feelings from his former self. This is where he had gone when he needed comforting, and yet he never actually went inside the room. He would wait patiently by the door and a safe presence would come to him, bringing him inside. The room had one day turned cold and empty but he decided he wasn't going to focus on that, instead returning to the time of warmth and security.

"This … this was my parent's room. I used to live here." Link's focus returned and blue eyes flicked up to meet green as Zelda stared at him, her mouth slightly open. He suddenly gave a small giggle, "I slept in the loft, that's how they knew I used to sneak out at night. They could hear the boards creaking above them. I had never put the two together as a child."

Zelda's eyes softened as she approached him. It was a relief to know that he had recalled a happy memory associated with his family, and seeing him look so utterly amazed filled her with warm and fuzzy feelings. He had never really mentioned it, but she had to imagine that the complete and utter loss of his parent's existence within his mind must bring him great turmoil. But in true Link fashion, he found a way to cope with it himself as to not worry her. She placed a hand gently on his arm, rubbing up and down slowly as he basked in this new knowledge. Eventually, he shook himself out it.

"Sorry, haven't had one of those in a while," he grinned at her crookedly, "want to show me around, again?"

Zelda was only too happy to oblige, and while she was a little put out that he had once again shelved such an important piece of his psyche away, she could see that he was still buoyed by the revelation. It stayed with him for the rest of the day. After all, he had come home.

[please see A/N for image]

 _Of course, now that Zelda has her research lab she can finally get started on her many long awaited projects. I now understand Purah's rather cryptic comment regarding Princess Zelda having 'dibs' on me as her 'guinea pig'. 'Guinea pig' turns out to be a term used for a test subject and 'dibs' means she got her claim in before anyone else._

* * *

 _It seems her curiosity about my replacement arm could not be held off for long._

Link was sitting on Zelda's new workbench, in nothing but his under-shorts and shoulders relaxed as the researcher in front of him eyed his prosthetic arm closely.

"This really is incredibly intricate but outstandingly robust," she said, running her forefinger over the designs of his upper arm section. "I will have to ask Robbie how he managed to make this material so malleable whilst still retaining its complexity."

"He made a machine … oven thing, that he called Cherry. It operates construction for him to save time," Link told her, raising his arm when she prompted him to do so by tapping the underside of his elbow.

"Interesting, then he must have calculated and constructed the blueprints himself. You are lucky that man has such outlandish ideas," she said, looking at him shrewdly.

He heaved a huge sigh in response, rubbing the hair on the back of his head which for once was not in its customary ponytail. He jumped slightly when Zelda's fingers than began to trace over the scars that radiated out from his shoulder. The actual join of mechanical parts and organic tissue was hidden beneath a dark blue fabric that Robbie and Purah had integrated with his skin. The idea had freaked him a little bit at first, but now it just felt like a permanent bandage. As Zelda's exploration of his skin started to trail over the edges of his scars he jolted when she encountered an area that had sensation in it.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, quickly whipping her hand away, ears perked straight up and blushing, "I was in my own world there."

Link gave her a thumbs up and a reassuring smile, before beginning to poke the area of skin she had found.

"It is incredible, though, just how much damage those Guardians can achieve," Zelda appraised, returning to investigate the scarred tissue of Link's collar bone. "Your arm was completely vaporised and the residual energy given off from the blast was enough to sear the tissue around the point of impact. Tell me when you can feel me poking you."

The next quarter of an hour was spent with Link sitting comfortably, now crossed legged, on the wooden work bench, with Zelda's fingers flitting over his skin. She was able to determine where the boundaries of his skin sensitivity were, and do some quick sketches of the joints and designs into her notebook.

"I wonder how much pressure or weight it can handle? Then again, any force you impart on it will no doubt stress the joint it connects to." Zelda looked up at Link for confirmation receiving a nod in reply, before looking back down at the overlapping plates curving over his shoulder joint. "I wonder if he used the shoulder joint that remained or constructed a completely new one and installed that instead. I've also noticed that the light this arm gives off will increase and decrease depending on your own energy levels. This leads me to believe that the energy of the ancient flame powering this prosthetic is intrinsically tied with your own metabolism. I know this is futile question for you," Link raised an eyebrow at her, completely lost, "but do you find you become hungrier after you fire a blast from this arm?"

Only now giving it some thought, he concluded that yes he did often become incredibly peckish once he had attacked using energy from his mechanical limb. He nodded, realising that he was getting hungry now.

"Fascinating, how in the three aspects did Robbie pull that off? Or maybe it was Purah, she was always more invested in the Ancient Flame itself." Zelda jotted down some more notes in her book, before lifting herself up to sit on the bench on Link's right, taking his arm in her hands. "If this is the same material that composes the hull of the Guardians, I would imagine that it carries the same resistances as those machines. They seem to have travelled across all manner of terrains, including ice and molten rock, I'm curious as to what other things they are resistant too."

"Not sand, that's for fucking sure," Link muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me?" Zelda asked, coming out of her intense study to look up at his scowling face. He brightened quickly at her attention.

"Ah, it's nothing. I'd be happy to stress test my arm … though, I still don't think I want to stick my hand in lava. But, I'd be lying if I said I haven't already considered it," Link mused, thinking back to the conversation he'd had with Yunobo while he was still hunting Shrines. Zelda was silent for a moment pondering that particularly line of thought before an idea struck her.

"Hey, Link," she asked slowly, with said man instantly on high alert, "how good is your shock tolerance?"

 _I believe it is a testament to my foolishness that my immediate reaction was not to run from the room but instead meet her question about my personal shock resistance as a challenge. A challenge my muscles will no doubt scream at me for tomorrow._

 _We have at least determined you can in fact build up a tolerance given how many times I have been electrocuted in my life._

* * *

 _Link has trusted me to write an entry for the events of today lest he forget once he has 'recovered'. I will put this in writing now, to be forever immortalised._ _Link, I am very sorry!_ _I had no idea that combining those two ingredients would create such a side effect. In hindsight, it probably was not wise to test such things directly on you without prior experimentation first. You did agree though._ _I will now move on to document the various tests conducted today and their results. Some were less expected than others._

 **Magnesis**

The subject donned the Hylian Soldier gear, which is comprised entirely out of metal and I am told acts as an excellent lighting rod. Reminder to enquire about this further. I have already concluded that the Magnesis rune can not be activated on an object the wielder is directly touching - no doubt it effects the targeting of the Sheikah Slate. However, it can be circumvented by activating Magnesis on an object beneath something I am standing on. I need to work on my balance to perfect this technique.

Magnesis can in fact be used to lift up a person if enough metal is supporting them, and there does not appear to be any sort of weight restriction. However, with additional mass comes an increased reaction time between moving the slate and moving the affected object.

I must record that I experienced temporary deafness today when the subject implored that I not drop them into the pond.

 **Stasis**  
It became apparent that Stasis does in fact work on Hylians, much to the subject surprise. It also works at quite the distance when said subject tried to escape evade further tests. However, I can conclude that the duration of Stasis is affected heavily by the energy and willfulness of the individual it is used on.

A blanket ban has been agreed on for the use of Stasis on people.

 **Speed + Endurance**  
I have been attempting to combine elixir effects and I believe that I have managed to accomplish the task with specific ingredients. It appears some effects simply cannot exist in tandem no matter how many binding reagents I use.

A combination of Hot-Footed and Tireless Frogs produces an elixir that can boost both speed and endurance. The results of consuming the elixir caused the subject run much faster than naturally possible and for an extended amount of time. Due to the potency of the concoction, however, its effects did not last for long. I fear that increasing the duration of the elixir would actually cause subsequent stress and potential damage to the subject.

They responded that they were 'bloody shattered' once the effects wore off.

 **Endurance + Healing**  
The combination of a Hearty Lizard and a Tireless Frog created an elixir that led to continuous healing for a set period of time. The duration of the elixir can be altered depending on the magical strength of the monster part catalyst.

The subject had been willing to also test the potency of the elixir, but increasing the amount of damage the subject would have to go through to test such a thing was not advisable.

 **Fireproof + Strength**  
The innate fiery nature of the critters used within this dual elixir in combination with a strengthening agent appears to be expressed through the production of flames when the test subject's muscles are exerted.

Further experimentation with this elixir has been postponed until we can acquire an adequately fireproofed area. I also expressed concern over how gleeful the subject appeared to be at this development.

 **Energy + Endurance**  
DO NOT REPEAT. Under no circumstances is this combination ever to be recreated.

Upon consuming the elixir, comprised of Tireless Frog and Restless Cricket the subject immediately began to shake and was overcome by mania. They took off into a sprint around the premises several times before returning to their original spot and start talking - without stopping – and bouncing incessantly. It is unfortunate that the speed at which they were speaking was too quick for me to be able to pick up and I am unsure if all of it was in Hylian. Each new surge of action ended abruptly before turning into another action, for the subject appeared to be unable to stop and stay still for more than five seconds. Occasionally, the subject would simply make an horrendous screaming noise before darting off to run in a random direction.

Trying to lure the subject into the house was a mistake.

 _I must now go and tend to Link who is clinging to the rafters in the ceiling at the moment. I should perhaps also test my hypothesis, at a later date, that Link is in fact part lizard; there is no other explanation for his natural inclination to climb anything and everything he can._

* * *

 **This is nearly 10k words and I have officially become way to invested in this AU, good lord. They might get a dog much later. Chapter art can be found** **on my tumblr** **which is actually a reference sheet for Link's prosthetic arm in full detail in case anyone was curious. This chapter was beta'd by PilotInTheAttic.**

 **Links house blueprint and a diagram of** **Zelda's distillation equipment can be found on my tumblr sarcastic-sketches using the #ITAftermath tag  
(let me embed images ffs - also bring in strikeout jc)**

 **As always, please feel free to ask me questions about this AU or give me prompts for future chapters to consider either in the comments here, my tublr or my twitter British_Sarcasm. Thanks for reading and the next installation 'System Failure' is gonna be a nice fluffy sickfic, so I hope you enjoy that~**


	11. System Failure

The harsh sounds of a pen tracking across paper filled the air of Purah's lab as she furiously copied the notes Zelda had taken when she conducted her studies on Link's robotic arm. The Hylian pair had come up to the lab for their weekly get together with the 'young' Sheikah scientist and her assistant, Symin. They were currently sat on some cushions placed on the floor in front of the activated guidance stone, both nursing a cup of tea and bathed in the gentle glow coming from the structure behind them. Symin was flitting between the bookshelf on the opposite side of the room and his employer, who remained at her workbench. Occasionally, she would ask for a specific tome or set of records and Symin would immediately fetch it for her.

Link had worked out early on in his quest that if he wanted anything from Purah, and he wanted it to be done as smoothly as possible, it was quicker to simply give her something before he asked. So, as soon as they had been invited into the lab up on the hill, Zelda had offered up her own research notes.

"Thought you might want to give these a skim through."

This had left Symin with the task of remaining the only polite soul left to get the visiting pair settled and offer them a drink as Purah had practically flown to her desk to retrieve her own research journal. She had been avidly scribbling down all the information she had been given since, and when she was finally done she hopped off of her chair with Zelda's work in hand.

"I must thank you for these, Princess, these will no doubt be invaluable. Link may have chosen his side but I am glad you still recognise who is the greatest benefit to you," Purah sniffed, eyeing Link sourly as she returned Zelda's notes to her.

As the small Sheikah spun back around to fetch her own pillow to sit with them, Zelda leaned into Link to whisper, "what did you do?"

"I let Robbie tinker with my arm instead of her."

"Ooooh," she winced in reply, returning to her previous position before Purah returned.

"Right," Purah chirped, flopping down onto her cushion and crossing her legs, "what can I do for you today?"

"It's not like we only ever come and see you when we need something," Link muttered, his words half disappearing into his cup as he drank.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Purah said airily, her glasses flashing in the blue light from the guidance stone as she turned to peer at him.

"Link just means that we like coming to see you, not just because we want something from you," Zelda replied, quietly amused by the turmoil her knight had unwittingly caused for himself.

"Hmm," the bespectacled girl before them pursed her lips, "but you _do_ need something from me, yes?" Her answer was two sheepish looking Hylians, "and there we go."

Deciding not to beat around the bush any longer, Zelda unclipped the Sheikah Slate from Links belt and presented it to Purah. "Do you have any idea if this has the ability to transport more than one person?"

Symin came over to hand Purah a cup of tea before returning to the bookshelves as she considered her answer, accepting the proffered Slate. She tapped decisively on the screen, scrolling down the displayed page with one hand while she continued to sip from the cup in her other. With a nod to herself, she handed the slate back to the Princess, watching with a steadily rising eyebrow as Zelda re-clipped it back onto Link's hip. Neither seemed to mind the proximity of the other. She therefore concluded that they were simply that comfortable in each others presence and discarded the thought from her mind. She had more important things to think about.

"There's nothing there in the programming to suggest that it can't carry more than one person. I'd imagine you would both have to be in contact with the Slate, however, so we can test it with a short trip to the Shrine by Link's house," Purah suggested.

"Our House," Link said, reflexively, but before Purah could latch onto _that_ comment Zelda took over.

"Hopefully that works. It'll be so much more efficient to be able to travel instantly from one side of the Kingdom to the other. Actually, Purah, as we're on the subject..."

The next hour passed by amid conversations that included making the travel gates more widely accessible, and the prospect of introducing the use of ancient technology into the field of prosthetics for the whole Kingdom. Out of the corner of Zelda's eye, she could see that Link's attention had been diverted elsewhere and he had managed to get Symin to sit beside him. They were comparing images from the Slate Compendium to ones the other Hylian man had illustrations of in his books. She couldn't suppress the fond smile that appeared on her face fast enough before Purah noticed. Upon looking back at the Sheikah once more Zelda was met with a smug, knowing smile. An expression she resolutely ignored as she turned back to address the man sat next to her.

"Link, I think it's time we got going. Purah has things to do, no doubt."

The afore-mentioned researcher inhaled suddenly, jumping to her feet. "You're right! I can't sit here chatting with you all day. As entertaining as you are, I have many projects to contend with," she assured them, tottering over to her workbench.

Chuckling, Link nodded and stood up; turning around to give Zelda a hand he completely missed the smirk Purah shot them both from across the room. Symin led Zelda to the door, finally able to talk together themselves as they walked outside, but Link lagged behind and shuffled back to address Purah in a whisper.

"Any luck with that challenge I set you?"

The tiny researcher gave him a condescending smile.

"Oh, Linky Link, who do you think I am?" She hopped up onto the worktop and opened the top drawer, retrieving an object that looked like two tubes, the length of his arm, stuck together with handles on their undersides. "Give it a try."

Link took the device, grabbed each of the handles as he held it above his head and tugged them apart sideways. White and blue fabric unfurled from a roll within one of the tubes in a continuous length of cloth before there was a click and resistance. Spring loaded support bars sprung from the side of each tube to lock the other in place and provide the fabric sail with some slack. He waved the contraption from side to side, watching the Sheikah patterned cloth catch and billow as it passed through the air, the geometric shapes along the tubes lighting up blue with the movement.

"This is perfect, Purah," Link beamed, looking toward the genius inventor with such joy that her previous misgivings about him were washed away.

"You're welcome, Linkidink! But," she wagged a finger threateningly at him, "you be careful with her you hear? That paraglider won't fail her but you can't go and do your usual reckless stunts with the Princess along for the ride."

He gave her a reassuring smile, as he snapped the support bars back into place and let the two tubes roll together again. "You don't have to worry; her safety will always be my top priority."

[You know that]

"Link, are you coming?" Zelda asked, appearing back in the doorway, a confused Symin standing behind her. "I've waited over a hundred years for this moment. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep my calm."

"Coming!" he assured, deftly placing a diamond on Purah's desk behind his back, where it was quickly swept away into an open drawer by the young Sheikah.

* * *

Finally making good on his promise, Link and Zelda's next stop was to go inside the Shrine by Link's house. The teleportation from the Hateno Ancient Tech lab was a success, and the pair had dissolved into streams of blue light before Symins eyes as he waved them good-bye. Reforming on the Shrine platform, back in the village, Zelda tipped sideways into Link for a second while her equilibrium sorted itself out.

"Oh, sorry!"

"It's ok, you did better than me for your first time."

While Zelda would dearly have loved to find out just what exactly had happened after Link's first teleport, she was too excited for what was to come. She was almost bouncing on the balls of her feet impatiently in the entranceway of the Shrine while Link activated their descent down into the main area below. Zelda couldn't help but wonder just how all of this was powered, among many other things. _How has this been kept safe for thousands of years, deep in the earth? How did they build this? How-_

Her thoughts blanked, however, as the open space of the Shrines interior came into view and she was left speechless. This place was huge and nothing like she had imagined. It was so much grander

"This was a fun one," Link informed her, nonchalantly, stepping off of the platform as soon as it came to a stop on the Shrine floor and he started walking towards the stairs that led up to the apparatus control terminal. He turned around when he realised Zelda had not followed him, "You coming?"

"Huh? Oh, yes," she answered, weakly.

She stepped off of the platform more carefully than Link had, eyes roaming over the walls containing the cavernous space they stood in. Her gaze moved from the open ceiling above them made of light to the seemingly never ending dark void below the walkway she was crossing. Eventually, she refocused on Link, who was waiting for her up ahead, a big smile on his face and a hand outstretched towards her. She placed her hand in his as she hurried over to meet him and they walked up the stairs together.

"This place is incredible," she breathed, "how many of these Shrines were there in the end?"

"One hundred and twenty."

"Good heavens."

They reached the landing at the top of the stairs and Link directed Zelda to stand in front of the Slate Terminal.

"If you press the slate here you can control that maze in front of you," Link said, pointing to the gigantic suspended maze, which had somehow escaped her notice, despite everything. It was frozen in space and completely un-tethered.

"Control it?" Zelda questioned, completely perplexed as she handed her research notes over to Link for him to hold for her.

"You'll see," was all he said in response, tucking the journal to his chest and stepping back to let her figure this out on her own.

It took Zelda all of ten seconds to get the hang of controlling the maze orientation with the corresponding movements of the slate. She struggled with timing her tilts to ensure that the ball stayed within the maze, and after about fifteen minutes she placed the slate back down, the orange glowing ball falling into the depths below having just missed the ramp it needed to land on.

"I can understand the mechanics and the goal of this, however, I am a little confused as to how this could have benefited you. Other than dexterity training with the slate, perhaps?"

She inspected the slate in her hands, turning it over to assess it from another angle. The maze in front of her copied the motions.

"Wait," she said, squinting hard at the maze, the terminal and then back again, "wait."

Firmly bringing the slate up to her eye-level, watching the maze at the same time, she flipped the slate over in one fluid motion. The maze followed suit, exposing a completely flat underside onto which a new glowing ball was dispensed. She felt her jaw drop and she could hear Link laughing delightedly behind her, as she guided the ball over to one edge only to flick it up into the air and watch as it fell onto the neighbouring ramp. It rolled all the way down to it's destined resting place, fitting snugly into the hole and the markings of the bevelled floor surrounding lit up blue. A chime resounded throughout the Shrine marking it's completion.

"Sometimes, it's not about the solution presented to you, but how _you_ would solve it." Link came up behind her to disengage the Slate from the Terminal and swap it for her Journal. "After this, there would have been a Monk waiting in the room that just opened up. They would give me a Spirit Orb. If I had enough, I could trade them in during prayer for some of the stamina and vitality I lost over the years while I was in the Shrine of Resurrection. Then the Monks would just sort of … disappear."

 _That sounds horrendously gruelling, at least he found some of these Shrines fun. To think if he hadn't have completed all of these challenges, he wouldn't have been restored to his original state._

"Were all the Shrines puzzles?" Zelda queried, after a moment of silence as she processed all of this new information.

"No."

She fixed him with an expectant stare, which he returned with a blank stare of his own, prompting her to vocally encourage more information out of him. "Are you going to elaborate?"

"Oh! Sorry. Well, some of the Shrines were a challenge just to activate. They usually ended up being a room with only a Monk present to give me an orb. They were called Blessings."

There was a lengthy pause, but Zelda could tell there was more. She squinted at him and without verbal prompting this time, Link continued.

"Others had mini Guardians in them."

"I knew it!" Zelda shouted, throwing her hands up and nearly tossing her research journal into the abyss below. Link knew from personal experience that things dropped into the depths of the Shrines did not come back unless it originated within the Shrine in the first place. She continued to stare victoriously at the ceiling, mentally heckling all the people that had dismissed her research a century ago, before she decided to explain the situation to Link. "I knew the Shrines had to hold some sort of combat training that the Hero must complete in order to ready themselves for the battle against Ganon. But since I could never get into the cursed things, even after giving you the Slate to try for yourself, I had no way of proving it. It seemed so obvious once I was in spirit form that the Towers needed to be found and activated first in order to create a network for all the Shrines to be powered from. Alas, there was so much pressure on us we couldn't see the wood for the trees."

Link absent-mindedly noted that the phrase 'spirit-form' really wasn't in just anyone's casual everyday vernacular, and yet here they were. He also noticed that Zelda was looking at him with a hesitant expression and before she could pose the question that was forming in her eyes, Link preceded her.

"Yes, the shrines still exist. The guardians reformed after every Blood Moon. Your doing I assume?"

The grateful smile Zelda received was enough to cause her ears to heat up and her lungs to seize for a second before she could get herself under control. _He did notice._

"Yes, that was me. While Ganon was busy gloating as his powers surged, I was able to send a burst of power into the land of Hyrule, causing plants to grow rapidly and replace those that had been collected. I guess it also gave energy to the Shrines so they could rebuild destroyed constructs. I take it you found it useful?"

"Oh, Zelda, you have no idea," he heaved a huge sigh at this and she felt a great sense of self-fulfilment. Sometimes, she couldn't quite believe how his gratitude bolstered her so compared to the deep resentment she used to feel towards him. "I take it you would like to see one in action?"

The question caught her unawares for a second and it was only by the grace of her excellent self control that she did immediately blurt out what crossed her thoughts in that moment. _Why yes, I would like to see you in action._

"If you wouldn't mind," was what Zelda said out loud instead.

"Sure thing, but which one..." Link opened the map on the Sheikah Slate, dragging his finger across the screen to see the different parts of the Kingdom in more detail. "Ah! This one is located in a cave in Hebra's Peak. We can have a little excursion once we're done with the Shrine."

With that in mind, the pair hurried back to the Shrine entrance. They needed to fetch some better winter clothes from the house if they were to survive the unforgiving temperatures of upper Hebra.

* * *

Decked out in their new heat resistant outfits commissioned from Claree, and a flame weapon each strapped to their backs, Link and Zelda materialised at the Shrine tucked away within Hebra's Peak. A Major Test of Strength, apparently. The researcher among them was intrigued to note that within the Shrine itself the temperature was closer to that of a summer day in Hyrule Field than it was to the world above them.

"Oh, it's so much warmer down here," Zelda spoke a loud, tempted to remove the Flamespear from her back.

"Thank goodness, or I wouldn't be able to do this," Link announced, selecting the Ancient Armour set from the Sheikah Slate as he spoke. Once his gear was all set into place his turned towards her, but she couldn't actually see his eyes. _How does he see?... That armour looks really good on him._

"Once I trigger this challenge this area will be cut off from the battle arena. You need to stay here if you want to watch, ok? I can't fight it with all of my attention if you're in the arena with me."

She nodded, assuming that this would be the case from the start. Link inclined his head gratefully and then turned away to walk towards the centre of the arena where a section of the floor was missing. Once he was halfway there, gates dropped down to separate the entrance room from the arena and a small, but well-armed, guardian scout rose up along with the centre floor piece. It had a special crest adorning it's helm, obviously denoting it's elevated status for this particular challenge.

Link had admitted that it had been a while since he had fought one of these, but he felt confident that he could still deal with a Major Test with little problem. He even refused to use the laser burst ability in his right arm. Despite these drawbacks, Link was dealing with the Guardian masterfully, allowing Zelda to worry less about his safety and concentrate more on his assailant.

Cross-legged on the floor with her notebook open in her lap, she was taking quick notes as she watched the fight intensely. She noted how the Guardian seemed to have a set pattern of attacks and would then switch to a new tactic when its previous pattern was proving to no longer be effective. Currently, it was holding its weapons out at its sides and then spinning rapidly towards Link. He would dodge cleanly out of the way of the Guardian's path allowing him to land blows on the temporarily stationary automaton at the end of its attack. This time, however, as the Guardian geared up for another spin Zelda spotted Link wince, and his leg hitched upward suddenly. He had a cramp. _Oh no,_ she thought, praying that it would pass before the Guardian got close but Link was only able to twist slightly out of the way as it careened past him.

The Guardian's Great Battle Axe swiped a clean slash directly beneath Links chest plate, opening a deep gash across his ribs. Air was punched out of his lungs in shock as he dropped to one knee before the Guardian, and all Zelda could do was scramble to her feet and press herself to the gate. He had pressed a hand to his chest but blood dripped onto the floor from in-between his fingers, and she immediately started to call out in attempt to distract the automaton. As the Guardian swivelled back around to face Link once more it was met with the sight of Link's outstretched robotic arm, palm-open as light gathered into the blue gem embedded in the centre. The crested helm was blasted from the Guardian's body and it's weapons fell to the floor, legs collapsing beneath it as it shut down.

The completion chime sounded and the separation gates lifted, allowing Zelda to rush forward into the main arena. Link was hissing gently, trying to straighten up but the pain from his chest was making it difficult and the blood loss was starting to make his vision swim. Just as he was about to tip over backwards a teal aura bubbled up around him. Wisps of healing energy swept over him, coalescing against his ribs and sealing the injury closed without a trace.

Zelda skidded over on her knees just in time to see the last vestiges of light leave his skin, allowing him to breathe and take his hand away from the site of the wound. There was now a slash through the fabric of his armour that would need fixing but the skin beneath was undamaged. Link raised his eyes to hers with surprise clear in his blue depths, only to see equal surprise reflected back in Zelda's emerald stare.

"Was that...?"

"Mipha," Link finished. "I think- I think she left me her healing gift. A burn on my elbow healed out of the blue a while ago, but I was distracted so I forgot to mention it."

With an expression of wonder he looked back down at his chest, while Zelda closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. _Mipha, thank you…_

"Of course, even in death she would make it so that you could always be healed. She knew you very well after all."

… _but if you had left your powers behind, why would they have activated on a superfluous injury such as a minor burn?_

Zelda smiled as she helped Link back onto his feet, regardless of the finer intricacies of Mipha's Grace, she was grateful that Link still had it. The pair of them looked down at the remains of the Guardian, both of them deciding to salvage as much of it as they could into the Sheikah Slate before leaving the Shrine. Link made sure to change into his more climate appropriate clothing and gear before they stepped back out into the cold of Hebra.

* * *

Standing on a ledge just below the cave that housed the combat Shrine, Link was introducing Zelda to the paraglider he had asked Purah to make him. She was touched that he had thought to get her a glider to match his own, and she appreciated the touch of Sheikah technology in it's design. She was incredibly hesitant about actually using it, however.

"It's a straight glide down to that area over there," Link encouraged, drawing her attention to snowy area across the ravine below them. "That's Hebra Headspring," he explained showing her the location on the map compared to where they currently stood. "See, it's really not that far."

Zelda willed herself to embrace such an experience, but the sheer drop in between where they stood and her destination was fairly daunting and she knew it would be certain death should her grip on the paraglider fail.

"Here," Link said, obviously seeing her trepidation but not willing to give up on her, "take the Slate. If at any point you think you're going to fall just hit a Shrine point on the map. I'll come and find you, ok?"

She nodded dazedly, taking the Slate from him and securing it, screen outward, firmly to her belt. Hovering a hand over the screen, she confirmed that she could select a travel gate should she need to in a panic. She gave Link a thumbs up, face uncertain but mind now determined, as she took her glider in hand and snapped it open.

Taking several quick breaths to steel herself, she braced herself at the knees and propelled herself off the cliff edge. The sudden drop before the updraft caught in her sail nearly stopped her heart, but soon she was drifting across the gap on a sure course for the Headspring. She distantly heard cheering over the rush of wind past her ears and soon enough her feet landed solidly in compact snow. Lowering her arms down, feeling the adrenaline shaking her limbs, she turned to watch Link glide in after her. He snapped his glider shut to land down next to her.

"You did it!" He congratulated, "how do you feel?"

"I feel..." She paused, before a pleased grin broke out over her face, "I feel really good."

She received a boyish grin in return and Link tilted his head back, "come on, let's have a wander around."

Wander around they did, traipsing through the snow and occasionally kicking up flurries of white powder. Link pointed out a fast flowing river ahead of them, and their pace picked up as they walked towards a set destination. The water was dark, and the bubbles caused by the turbulent current made the water appear murky, but Zelda knew that the water would be incredibly pure.

"Don't get too close. No amount of frost resistance will spare you from the cold if you fall in."

Zelda didn't have to ask how he knew that. The only reason this water had not frozen solid in a place with such low temperatures was due to its strong current. She dreaded to think how deathly cold it must be, but her thoughts were interrupted as Link suddenly had her wrist in a tight grip. She had time to turn to him and open her mouth to ask what was wrong but she heard him hiss and she closed her mouth again as he whispered to her.

"Sorry."

He then gave her a quick and forceful shove down so that she fell into the snow at their feet. Propping herself up onto her elbows, she stayed down but tilted her head up to watch as Link whipped out a bow and had a flame arrow drawn back ready to fire at something he'd spotted in the distance before she could even blink the frost out of her eyes. A Lizalfo. At this distance she couldn't determine whether it was an Ice variety or a Silver; she prayed for it to be an Ice type. Judging by the ammunition her protector had prepared she gathered he was thinking along the same lines.

He released the arrow and they both watched it soar across the air to hit the camouflaged monster between the eyes. It instantly disappeared into a puff of acrid purple smoke, leaving behind only trace pieces of itself. Zelda noticed that Link's stance had relaxed a little and was about to congratulate him when she saw alarm cross his face a moment before the snow behind him exploded.

Clawing through the air was another ambushing Lizalfo, and this one was armed with a nasty looking club. Link attempted to pivot and aim upward to catch the Lizalfo with another flame arrow while it was still suspended above him, but he couldn't release the shot fast enough before the club was brought straight across his face. Blood sprayed out of his mouth as the force of the blow spun him around to teeter dangerously close to the rushing waters beside him. The bow and arrow in his hands were flung away from him to land just a couple of feet in front of Zelda, who was still half buried in the snow. She heard a splash and at once her body felt cold, despite the layers of protection she was wearing against the elements. The croaking and chirping she could still hear meant that it was in fact Link that had fallen into the water and she couldn't hear any further splashing. He had been knocked unconscious.

The Lizalfo was coming closer and Zelda's eyes were drawn to the bow in front of her, an arm was already tensed to snap out and grab it before the rational part of her mind clicked on. _You don't know how to shoot a bow, Father wouldn't let you learn! It's too close! Ice. Fire. Flamespear! Mipha taught you once!_

It had been barely ten seconds since Link had hit the water and Zelda was already swinging the Flamespear off of her back to drive it up into the torso of the approaching Lizalfo. A surprised yelp left the monster before it also disintegrated, but her attention was now on the fast flowing, icy river. She spotted his bright blue form several meters downstream and fear seized her.

 _Oh no, what do I do?! No. I can't jump in, I'm not a good enough swimmer for this; we'd both just die. I need to stop him. Water. Stop_

The Slate was still in her possession from the glide over.

She wrenched it from her belt, flinging the Flamespear aside to jam a finger down onto the Cryonis rune and select a patch of water just ahead of Link. A column of ice appeared on the surface of the water catching him before he could drift too far downstream, and Zelda was running down the riverside to catch up, activating the Magnesis rune and swiping through to Link's weapon stash as she went. A big and heavy Claymore materialised in her hand and she immediately dropped it in favour of controlling it with the Slate. She swung it around to point over to where Link's body was being held in place by the column of ice, his face mercifully still above the water, and directed the Claymore over towards him. _Don't think 'body'. He's fine. I can get him and take him home. He'll be fine._

She positioned the claymore underneath him and then started the drag it up his torso, pulling back on the slate to draw Link closer to her. A couple of time the claymore slid out from under him, but she was able to jerk it back into place and eventually haul him up onto the snow-covered river bank. She broke the connection between the Slate and the blade, surging over to Link's prone form, his skin almost as pale as the snow surrounding him. She grabbed as much of him as she could in her hold and selected the Shrine by their house.

A mere second later they were back in Hateno village, and Zelda opened her mouth to scream.

"BOLSON! KARSON! HELP!"

There was no way she would be able to drag Link's body all the way back to the house on her own, but she could make a start. Standing up, she planted her feet firmly on the ground either side of Links body and crouched down to hook her arm around his back, and pull one arm across her shoulders. Straining she straightened her legs, taking Link up with her but he had a lot of muscle and was weighed down even more by completely drenched, thick clothes.

She managed to slide them both down the bank to the bridge leading to their house before she heard heavy footsteps coming towards her. Karson had outpaced Bolson and was already diving in to help her support Link's weight.

"What happened!" Bolson heaved, skidding to a stop next to them, only to retreat back on himself out of the way as the trio staggered forward.

"Hebra. Link got knocked into the water," Zelda breathed and she found herself quickly but gently being manoeuvred out of the way as Bolson took Link's arm from around her shoulders.

"We've got him, lead the way," he said, none of his usual chipper attitude present as his face was set in grim determination. His co-worker wore a similar expression.

Zelda nodded gratefully, jogging ahead to unlock the front door of their house and keep the door open for them to come inside. Bolson jerked his head towards the stairs and Karson angled Link to follow him up. Once in the loft the construction pair were able to place Link down onto the bed and turn to Zelda for more instructions.

"Thank you so much, I can take it from here. I'll let you know how it goes."

"Sure thing," Karson nodded, breathing heavy from the adrenaline rush.

"You yell for us if you need anything, you hear?" Bolson said, making sure she understood him before they made their exit.

Zelda's first task now was to remove the wet and frosty clothes from Link's body. Normally, such an act would have her freezing up in hesitation and awkwardness, but right now she didn't have time for that vulnerable part of her. Right now, she was being methodical and clinical as she stripped Link of his winter gear, throwing it into a haphazard pile on the floor. He was completely motionless, and his breathing was near undetectable but as she held him to take his armour off she could feel his shallow exhales against her ear. The lack of shivering was deeply concerning and she was quick to get him under the covers of their bed in nothing but his under-shorts.

Scurrying downstairs to the store room, she grabbed as many blankets as she could carry and hurled them onto the bed once she was back up in the loft. Arranging some extra cushions between him and the wall, she stripped herself of her own clothes and tucked herself into the bed on his other side. The best way to warm someone was through direct skin contact and she was too high strung to worry about how this would look from the outside. With her in nothing but her own pair of under-shorts and a crop top to secure her chest it was easy to establish a lot of skin to skin contact. That was all she cared about at this moment in time.

A last minute thought crossed her mind and she reached back and over the side of the bed to rifle through her own pile of clothes for the Sheikah Slate. Summoning every flame based weapon Link owned, she placed them around the edge of the bed hoping the heat they radiated would warm the air around them. With that done, Zelda finally allowed herself to cave to exhaustion with Link tucked securely in her arms.

Just as her consciousness fled her she noticed that the Guardium made arm didn't feel all that cold. _How odd._

* * *

She didn't sleep well for the next two days. Far too worried to stay asleep for more than a couple of hours at a time, after her initial stress-induced nap she was able to confirm that Link's temperature had risen and he had begun shivering. This allowed her enough time to don a robe and inform Bolson that Link was recovering.

Intermittently, as more hours passed, she would try to rouse Link enough for him to eat something sugary and take a sip of water, often with some hearty elixir mixed in. Sometimes she was successful, other times she was not. Link still had not woken up fully but his breathing was regular, albeit wheezy, and he was no longer cold to the touch, his shivering ceasing. He hadn't moved much either. Occasionally, one of his hands twitched or a leg flexed but other than that, his body remained still even as Zelda got in and out of the bed. While she no longer needed to stay in direct skin contact with him, the temperature under the many layers of bedding was high enough that putting clothes back on would have been uncomfortable.

Heaving a deep sigh, eyes closed and fingers tangled in Link's hair, she allowed her mind to drift off into her own head-space for a while. She had full confidence that he would make a full recovery, so his current state did not worry her too extensively, but she did not like to see him suffer. His body was clearly going to bear some repercussions after getting knocked out and thrown into frigid water. It brought a sour taste to her mouth and she unconsciously hugged him harder.

"Hmm?"

Zelda froze, eyes snapping open and immediately flicking down to the tangled mess of blonde hair tucked under her chin. Arching backward and ducking her head slightly she was able to gain Link's attention; blue eyes she hadn't seen for what seemed like days locking onto her face.

"Hey, you're awake," she breathed, relieved despite the fact that she _knew_ he would be just fine.

Link breathed in, she could hear restricted airways protest beneath his ribs, and he lifted his head up onto the pillows, Zelda's hand falling away as he moved. He rubbed his face against the cool fabric slightly.

"Where am I?"

"Home, your home. It's ok, I'm going to look after you," Zelda tightened her hold around him and smiled reassuringly, running a hand up the back of his hair.

"Hmm," Link shuffled in her arms slightly and closed his eyes for a second. Then he opened them again, "who are you?"

Had Zelda been anyone else in her situation she probably would have had a greater reaction than blinking quickly and swallowing hard. However, after years of forcing herself to contain any emotional upheaval, for fear she would be seen as even more weak than she already was, she pushed the fear and heartbreak back. This therefore allowed panic to set in. Here they were, both of them in nothing but underwear, hugging _incredibly_ close in the same bed, and she had been stroking his hair.

"I'm your wife," she blurted.

Even in his dazed and semi-awake state Link looked taken aback and then he seemed to be thinking it over.

"Really?" he mumbled. He sounded so tired, but he was trying.

Zelda could only nod, still inwardly screaming, _he can tell you're lying even when he's sick, unbelievable. But was that slight hope I just heard?_

"Oh." Link looked over her head at the far wall for a second, before focusing on her again, "I am one lucky guy."

The internal screaming got louder but for an entirely different reason. She also was not sure if she should be more worried about how readily he accepted things told to him at face value or because he welcomed the lie. Physically fighting with herself not to give any external clues, she blinked and made the decision to run with it.

"Damn right you are," Zelda grinned at him cheekily, still calculating this situation in the back of her mind. "I need to get up now, I'm afraid your personal heater needs to make some food. You hungry?"

Link gave a pathetic whining noise as he tucked his head under her chin, and Zelda's heart hurt for some reason she was unwilling to identify at this present time. Withdrawing her arms delicately, she patted him on his side and lifted her head away from his. He whined some more as she left the bed and immediately curled up into a ball to conserve heat. She made sure to tuck the blankets in around him so he was well insulated, before turning on the spot in her under-garments to put a clean hylian tunic on.

Looking over her shoulder she saw that he was fast asleep and she allowed herself to desperately hope that the memory loss was temporary.

 _Or maybe, he could just forget this specific event happened. That would be great._

* * *

After Zelda had made herself some mushroom omelettes and cooked some tomatoes, she went back up into the loft to check on Link only to find him awake again. He was squinting slightly at a space between the floor and the top of the loft railing ahead of him.

"Link?" Zelda ventured, creeping closer quietly.

"Hey, Zelda," Link answered, his focus had turned to her before he looked mildly surprised at how croaky his voice was, "ugh."

 _He remembers me! … What else does he remember…_

"How are you feeling?" She asked, coming to sit next to him on the side of the bed so he didn't have to raise his voice.

"Everything aches, my head feels like it's about to explode or implode, and my eyes won't focus. Also," he paused, squinting again, "I can't tell if I'm floating or not."

Zelda decided to assure him of the most pertinent point first.

"You're not floating."

"Oh … good."

He was clearly coming down with some sort of illness, as he continued to squint at her, blinking slowly a few times before curling up even more tightly under the pile of blankets. Tired eyes closed and each inhale was long and deep; Zelda could still hear the intake of air rattle through to his lungs. _Lung infection, probably in his throat too. I wonder how different this scenario would have been had he gotten sick while in the Castle?_ she considered, sitting down on the edge of the bed gingerly. _Would he have insisted on trying to carry on with his duty even though his body was failing him, or would he admit defeat knowing he posed more of a risk in his depleted state?_

"You know it really is quite outstanding how such a complex organism such as ourselves can recover from a series of malfunctions like this."

"This … is recovering?" The borrowing Hylian asked, preferring to keep his hands in the warm safety of the bed.

"You're awake, aren't you?" She said while thinking to herself, _and you remember me now._ "What do you remember?"

"Snow and a sneaky Lizalfo. Also cold."

"So, nothing else then?"

A pair of unfocused blue eyes appeared over the edge of the blanket hill, assessing her with a faraway expression and raised eyebrows. There was an insistent nudging at her thigh as Link tried to stretch his legs out so she shuffled along to make room for him. With his legs now fully extended and his arms stretched out before him, he held this position for a few seconds before quickly withdrawing his arms back under the covers. Apparently, he was still feeling too cold to be out from the under the safety of the many blankets for long, which explained his reluctance to sign rather than speak despite how little energy he must have.

"Want to sit up? I can make you some tea if you can," Zelda asked gently, slipping off the bed to stand closer to the headboard.

She could see his ears wiggle as he considered the idea before he rolled over and tried to lever himself up to sit against the headboard by himself. He didn't get very far. Bracing her hands against his arms when he placed them down on the bed either side of him again, she could feel the muscles on his left side tense as he pushed himself up. Just as his hands were about to slip from under him, Zelda pushed his arms back providing him with the support he needed to sit upright. His head fell back against the wall behind him, eyes closed, as he breathed in and out slowly through his mouth.

"I feel like telling you to stay put is redundant, so I'll just say that I'll be right back with tea." She almost reached out to stroke his hair but aborted the gesture so her hand faltered in mid-air for a second before she dropped it back to her side. "Actually, do you want something to eat?"

Link seemed to be giving it some thought, that or was he dissociating into a feverish brain fog. Eventually, he shook his head and Zelda couldn't help herself by making a joke.

"Goodness, you really must be ill."

The former knight's response was to tug the blankets up a bit, stick his tongue out at her and then pull the covers up to his eyes with a petulant expression. Zelda nearly shrieked with laughter but contained herself at the last minute.

"I'll just bring you some tea instead then," she said, calming down. "What's bothering you most at the moment? Head? Throat? Muscles?"

Link freed his artificial hand to point at his throat, emphasising this action by swallowing and wincing. With a sympathetic face, Zelda patted him on the shoulder and moved downstairs to make some tea, running over a list of medicinal plants they might have for a sore throat.

 _Lemons, I definitely need lemons. Cinnamon would be good too, but adding honey would probably make drinking it easier._

She placed a kettle full of water on the fire to boil, and then walked into her research room. Peering around, she located one of her many research journals, flicking through the pages to see if there was anything else to know about sore throats or muscle ache.

 _Oh, Thyme is good for muscles, I doubt he'll want to get into a bath right now though. Maybe when his fever has broken. Garlic is also good for colds but I'm not about to mix that into tea, Link will thank me later for that._

Pleased with her knowledge, she put the book down and went over to a wall full of drawers. Each drawer contained a different herb or dried plant material in alphabetical order. Zelda had been considering re-organising the drawers into a system based on region of origin but considering many of the plants were found in multiple locations she was unsure how she would separate them.

 _Maybe I should group them based on ailments? But then, again, there is a lot of crossover … I'll just leave it for now._

Crouching down for the drawers starting with 'T' she pulled open one to find it filled to the brim with Thyme. Nodding in satisfaction, the drawer was closed once again, with nothing having been removed, and she moved onto the 'C' section.

The Cinnamon labelled drawer was less full but there was enough in there to crush a teaspoon's worth for some tea. Zelda made a mental note to arrange another excursion with Link when he was fully rested to collect more materials for her stores.

Walking back into the main part of the house Zelda set her hand full of cinnamon sticks into a mortar, and then walked over to a wooden barrel by the door. Bending over it she sorted through the pile of icy chu-chu jelly to find a yellow fruit. She had to pass by many oranges, a couple of palm fruits and the odd peach before she found a lemon near the bottom. Pulling it out and turning it over to inspect it for damage, she deemed the fruit to be suitable for her purposes. She returned to the kitchen worktop and pulled a squeezer out of a drawer along with a cutting knife. The lemon was sliced in half and pressed down onto the squeezer; Zelda twisted the fruit while bearing down to get all the juice to collect in a small bowl at the bottom.

 _I knew being interested in herbal medicine would be fruitful one day_ , she had to stop pressing the lemon to shake with silent laughter at the unintentional pun before she could finish.

She had been passing her time lately by practicing herbal remedies and trying to combine them with amplifying magical materials. It had been an interest of hers from her previous life that of course her Father had considered to be a waste of time for someone in her position. However, one of the Hateno villager's had been able to receive an elixir from her, only a week ago, that alleviated his wife's labour pains when she was giving birth to their daughter. The delivery had gone flawlessly and the couple had been so overjoyed that when Zelda had insisted that she didn't require payment they had gifted her with a basket of assorted confectionaries.

By the time the lemon was nothing but rind, the kettle had started to make a pinging noise that indicated the water was boiling and spitting within the container. Sliding over to the fire, Zelda used some heat resistant mitts to bring the kettle off the heat and back over to the counter top. She placed the kettle onto a stone slab so it didn't burn the wood of the worktop and opened the lid carefully to judge the volume of water within.

 _It needs the juice of one full lemon,_ Zelda recalled, reaching for the other half of the cut fruit, _and half a teaspoon of cinnamon per cup, so for a full teapot that would be..._

The second half of the lemon was pulverised while the Princess turned Researcher did some mental calculations to get the correct amount of cinnamon to add to the hot water. The collected lemon juice was poured into an empty teapot, and a tablespoon of honey followed.

Now turning her attention to the cinnamon sticks sitting in the mortar she located the pestle on the other side of the worktop and started grinding them into a powder. Once she was happy with the consistency, she measured out enough powder to stir into the lemon juice and honey. The hot water was the last addition to her concoction and she stirred it around with a spoon to make sure the majority of the components dissolved.

Placing the lid back onto the teapot she found a clean cup to pour out some of the drink, steam rising from the amber coloured liquid. She tapped her fingers against the side of the cup and found the temperature was not too hot to hold and therefore it would be comfortable to drink.

Zelda picked up the cup and gently blew across the top as she walked back up the stairs to find Link was once again lying down and staring at the railing. He blinked slowly every so often, eyes slightly narrowed with his focus much further away than any object within the house. She walked directly into his field of vision and offered him the cup.

"Can you try sitting up again?"

The incapacitated knight inhaled deeply, his gaze refocusing on Zelda, before breathing out slowly as he began to move. Or, at least, again, he attempted to move. He tried a different approach this time; managing to shift onto his side and propping himself up onto his right elbow, but his left arm couldn't hold his weight. As he placed his palm down onto the bed to level himself up his arm buckled and he was back to resting on both elbows. He looked down at his arm and frowned, as if he were confused as to why it was being so pathetic.

Placing the cup down onto the side table, Zelda sat down on the bed and once more helped support Link's weight. Once he was upright, Link smiled gratefully at her and happily accepted the cup of hot drink she handed to him.

"You're actually quite gracious in defeat," she observed, making sure to place a glass of water within easy reach of a bedridden Link while he drank.

"I've been defeated a lot since I woke up, you learn to accept it - you can't win all the time." He sighed, waiting for his throat to relax again only to be accosted by a painful sneeze. He rolled his eyes and brought up his hands. [You save it for the battles that count]

"Are we sure we didn't swap aspects, because that sounded very wise."

[No. but I'm used to having my ass kicked] Link grinned, completely unashamed as Zelda snorted, so he continued. [I don't like feeling bitter. So, I let things go]

He gestured weakly at his prone form still under two blankets and sandwiched in by pillows, before clearing his throat and resting his arms. "This is not a battle I can do much about but as you say 'let my body deal with it'."

Zelda nodded in approval, "it pleases me to know that you are listening to me."

She patted his head in mock condescension, as he wiggled his way back under the covers, before standing up and walking over to the stairs. Just as she was half way down the stairs she could have sworn that she heard a voice muffled through layers of bedding.

"I always listen to you."

* * *

"How bad was I?"

After five days Link's body started to come back online to a degree that he deemed acceptable. After extricating himself from the 'bed of quarantine' he had felt disgusting and ached all over. So, while Zelda heated up some tea and soup, Link went to have a bath filled with thyme to cleanse himself of all the toxins he sweated out during his sickness. By placing his flame weapons in the bath tub while it filled with water it was made blessedly warm. Link had discovered the trick while on the road and had Zelda not called out to him that she had food he _needed_ to eat he might well have fallen asleep in there.

"You were not bad at all, actually. A little clingy, but I think I can forgive you considering you must have felt utterly miserable. A condition I can only empathise with I'm afraid."

Link winced as she said 'clingy', blood rushing to the tips of his ears, before taking another sip of soup.

"You've never been sick?" He asked, setting his spoon back into his bowl to fetch more delicious broth.

"The blood of Hylia appears to prevent me from falling to any illnesses or diseases. A protection for all her progeny and to ensure the line has a greater chance of continuing I suppose," she speculated, inwardly grimacing as she mentioned the responsibility she hadn't yet taken into account. She wrapped her hands around her warm mug of tea, taking a small sip, before broaching her next topic. It was a subject that had been weighing on her mind ever since they had walked away from Hyrule Castle and was now even more prominent. "There was a moment where you didn't remember who I was."

Admittedly, Zelda probably should have timed her statement for when Link wasn't inhaling his food but she hadn't thought that far ahead. The result was her former knight nearly choking while she hurriedly pushed her mug of tea across the table for Link to drink and calm his airways.

"I- I did?" he spluttered

"I don't know whether it's a common ailment of such an illness, or whether it's because your memory is becoming unstable," Zelda explained in a rush, her sights set on her fingers as they compulsively rubbed over each other on the wooden surface of the table. "I recognise that the Shrine of Resurrection took a huge toll on you and frankly I am amazed that you woke up at all, and such a thought horrifies me. Yet, you do have _some_ memories, but not all of them. Such selectiveness does not speak of a mind that has been whole once again and I must ask," she turned her gaze up to look at Link, "did you follow all the images I left behind?"

The Hylian Champion set his bowl aside and rested his arms on the table, crossing them as he leaned forward, expression completely serious.

"I found all twelve locations you had taken pictures of and that were stored in the Sheikah Slate. I recalled the events that led up to, or followed, the moments those pictures were taken but no matter where I go, it's the times in-between those moments that are missing. As well as all the times before I met you, of course."

At this, Zelda tilted her head ever so slightly, her desperate expression slowly morphing into confusion and suspicion. _Twelve?_

"Admittedly," Link continued, "Hyrule is a vast place, I could easily have missed another prominent location, but without an image to guide me I could be at my search for a while."

He sat back in his chair and caught sight of the mug still in front of him. It was very nice tea. Pointing at the mug, he silently gestured at Zelda to ask if she wanted it back but she merely waved him off, clearly distracted. Link shrugged and started to take measured gulps of the tea, closing his eyes and enjoying the sweet taste of fruits with the cleansing sensation of mint in his mouth. Meanwhile, the former Princess was coming to some very delayed conclusions and they were so obvious now she couldn't help but be disappointed in herself.

"… You never," Zelda began, causing Links eyes to open again to peer at her over the rim of the mug but he kept drinking. "You never had chance to go back to tell Impa you matched the locations to past memories. You found the last memory _just before you rescued me_ , honestly Zelda!"

The rightful Queen of Hyrule smacked herself in the face with one hand, groaning into her palm with deep self disgust and reprimand. Link nearly dropped the mug he was holding in favour of reaching across the table to pry Zelda's hand away from her face lest she hit herself again.

"What are you-?" but Link was unable to finish his question as the woman before him fixed her slightly manic stare to his face.

"Impa… she was going to give you the final place to recall a memory. I asked her to have a painting made of a specific location, I couldn't … there wasn't time to use the Slate to take it."

She looked humourlessly around the house interior, as if what she said brought a bitter taste to her mouth. A slight widening of her eyes, which grew into a look of horror, was followed by a slow turn of her head as she focused on Link once more. These were the only warning signs Link was given for what was coming next.

"You … you would have had to go there alone. I nearly made you deal with that … that … _event_ all alone. Oh!" She attempted to wrench her hand out of Link's grasp to collide it with her head again but the knight was having none of it.

He cradled her hand under his own against the top of the table and squeezed it reassuringly, but pushing down with enough force that she was unable to raise it from the surface of the table. Reaching out, he gently grasped her other hand, still feverishly fretting against the wood grain, and brought it towards her right, where he covered it with the comforting weight of his guardium-made palm. Maintaining eye-contact he asked her for clarification; firm, but calm.

"Talk to me. What event? Where?"

She looked like she was about to cry and Link, honestly, would not have judged her if she did. It seemed as though many things had been stressing her bit by bit and perhaps they had all stemmed from a greater underlying concern she herself may not have been privy to until this moment. Instead, Zelda sniffed and physically braced herself, back straight and eyes now clear.

"The final memory … it's _your final memory_. Link … it's where you died."

Really, there wasn't much one could say to follow that sort of announcement. Link sat back into his chair, letting his hands drag over hers as they were drawn back across the table when all the tension in his body left him.

 _He looks so tired,_ Zelda thought sadly, watching him as his focus turned inward and he debated this dilemma with himself. On the one hand, it was a problem that he didn't have that last memory as it could very well be the key to unlocking all of his memories from a century before. Conversely, having to go through that ordeal all over again was not an option she wished upon him. Nobody should have to experience the fear and uncertainty of their last moments twice.

"I..." He started to speak but then a broken hum sounded in the back of his throat and his sentence ended before it even began. His hands twitched on the table top before he slowly raised them up.

[Do I need the memory?] his movements were precise but he took his time stringing the signs together for Zelda's benefit and her heart melted.

"I think the memory may be the catalyst you need to unlock your previous experiences, but … No. You do not _need_ them," she emphasised. "Ultimately, I believe you are the same person you always have been," she leaned across the table to poke him in the chest. "Spirit of the Hero aside, you have always been a person whose main interests lay in the happiness of others. I want you to decide what would make you happy, right now."

She got up from her seat to walk around the table and stand next to him, gripping his still intact shoulder. He had watched her walk to him and was now staring up at her, obviously debating with himself what his next action should be. A decision was clearly made when he wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face into her stomach. A muffled 'thank you' was both heard and felt by Zelda, as she scratched the top of his head. He eventually tilted his head back so he could look up at her but he didn't seem to want to let go of his hold on her to sign a response so he swallowed before speaking.

"One day, could you take me to where I need to go?"

With a smile and a nod, she bent down to give him a hug but he suddenly placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away, as he twisted around in his chair. A powerful sneeze into his own arm followed seconds after and he shuddered.

"Ugh," he whined, slumping over the table sideways with his robotic limb splayed out towards the opposite side of the table, a soft glow emanating from it in slow pulses. His other arm came up to cover his face. "I hate this."

Zelda sighed fondly, raking her fingers through his hair gently before starting to rub circles into his back.

"More tea?"

"Holy trifecta, _please_."

* * *

 **This was written New Years Eve. I hope you enjoy reading this comfort fic as much as I did writing it... and to think, these two haven't even confessed to each other yet.**

 **SOON. See you in 2018 with the next story titled 'Hindsight'. Cheers!~**


	12. Hindsight

A chorus of birdsong erupted into the sky, the sun just fully visible over the horizon and a semi-conscious Hylian researcher, snuggled deeper into her blankets. In an effort to re-enter the realm of sleep, she reached her legs out in order to leech body heat and comfort from her bed mate. Only the space where he should be was empty. Curiosity was the only thing powerful enough to motivate Zelda to fully awaken these days, and so she pried her eyes open to squint into her surroundings. Thankfully, not much light was coming through the window in front of her, so she was able to open her eyes a bit more and scan around the loft space, hoping to easily locate her absent companion. He wasn't in the immediate vicinity.

Groaning and stretching, Zelda yawned, pushing herself further back into the mattress before tipping herself upright. Her ears pricked up while she closed her eyes, sight still slightly blurry from sleep, and listened out for any rustling or clattering that would indicate Link was cooking in the kitchen. Silence.

"Ugh," Zelda grumbled, crawling her way to the edge of the bed and then shoving a woolly tunic over her head. "Where is he?"

Just as she was weighing up the odds that Link could genuinely be in trouble rather than just going on a walk, she heard the sound of shattering from outside, followed by applause and disgruntled noises.

Flinging herself back over to the other side of the bed, towards the window, she looked out of it and could just make out Link, dressed in some of the shortest shorts she had ever seen and a loose dark blue top, with no sleeves. It clung to his slim frame like wet fur on a cat. The applause seemed to have come from the two Hylian men of the Bolson construction company who were sat on the ground to one side. They were watching Link test the durability of salvaged weapons, the results of these tests were two distinct piles. One contained all the weapons that had Link's approval, while the other was comprised of the broken remains of swords, shields, and bows alike.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Zelda murmured, her breath fogging up the glass of the window for a few seconds before dissipating. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't sure how Link had managed to get out of bed without her waking up. The pair of them had worked out that due to the lack of any sort of sensory network in Link's right arm, he could place a pillow over it which Zelda could then sleep on top of. This enabled him to spread out like a star fish without squishing her into the wall or suffering a dead arm.

"It's got no feeling in it anyway," he'd said.

Quite how he had been able to slip his arm out from under her without her noticing was beyond her. Then she recalled all the times she had expressly forbid him from coming with her on excursions out of the Castle, only to find out later that he had been keeping an eye on her from a distance. The stealthy bastard. She wasn't too angry though, after all, it had been his job and it became obviously apparent that he did genuinely care for her safety. Her thoughts brought her around to that memory of her brush with death by the Yiga Clan, had it not been for Link and his sneaky tendencies. The warm tones of the sand and the dry air from her recollections brought on a sudden moment of nostalgia, with a spontaneous desire to visit the desert.

"I'd like to meet the current Chief too, she sounds fun," Zelda lamented to herself before realising with a start that she _could_ go and see her. Today, in fact.

With that in mind, she shuffled herself off of the bed and started to get ready for a trip, deciding to put her researchers jacket on. May as well look presentable even if this wasn't a diplomatic meeting as such.

By the time Zelda made it outside, the construction duo had moved back to their preferred spot by the cooking pot under the tree, and Link had started to gather up the shattered remains of his weapons. The scrap metal could be melted down and reformed into new weapons or be given to Purah for her to utilise. He paused, sitting between the sorted piles of weapon shards on the floor as he noticed her walking towards him.

[Morning] his fingertips touched one side of his chest and then the other, before they were placed on the ground behind him as he leaned back. He eyed her outfit, "where are we going?"

"I thought that perhaps I should visit the current leaders of each nation, and thank them for their part in freeing me from the Castle." She watched as Link arched his back as he extended his legs in front of him, bending forward to reach his toes with his hands and then sitting up again. "We've already been to Zora's Domain, I'd like to visit the Chief of the Gerudo next."

[Riju is nice.] Zelda giggled slightly at the way Link signed Riju's name. A crooked finger of his right hand against the palm of his left, followed by a flipper motion with his hands at his side. [Very young but a great leader] he bounced to his feet with that never-ending energy of his and raised his eyebrows at her, carefree smile set in place. Clearly, he was ready to go.

"Ummm," Zelda looked him up and down, taking in the baggy climbing top and the shorts from his Hero garb. "I think you might have trouble getting past the Guards in what you're currently wearing."

He blinked at her before gazing down at himself.

"Ah," he said, still looking at his legs, before looking up once more and pointing to the house. "I'll just..."

Just as he reached the front door, he paused, one hand pressed against the wood, and turned to address Zelda, gesturing at her clothes.

"Not going in something more … Princessy?"

Zelda stifled a laugh just barely as Link simply looked at her sheepishly, clearly not able to find a more appropriate description. The 'Princessy' garb in question was undoubtedly the same outfit she had worn during her Royal duties within the Castle; it had been meticulously looked after by the Sheikah after all these years just as Link's Champion tunic had been. The Sheikah matriarch had sent warriors into the Castle, mere days after Zelda had walked there alone, to collect all they could of the Kingdoms records and all manner of other paraphernalia. She had known one day there would be a time when such items would be needed to get the Kingdom back on it's feet, but it seemed fate had other ideas. Regardless, the current Matriarch, Impa, could never be disappointed in the Princess' decision, and instead had simply offered them to her should she desire them.

The former Princess shook her head.

"I'm not going as an upcoming Monarch, Link, rather one Hylian vai declaring her gratitude to the Chief of the Gerudo for aiding her Champion."

[See. This is why I didn't talk. You have a way with words]

"Oh, Link, no!" Zelda gasped, grabbing onto Link's hands as he looked away in mock despair.

[It's too late. I know better now. I'll never speak again] He signed after he managed to wriggle out of her grip, fighting down a smile.

"Oh, shush," she reprimanded, shoving him in the chest with one palm, turning him toward the door.

[I didn't say anything] Link had to twist his upper body around so that Zelda could see the signals but that also meant she could see the grin spreading across his face.

"Go and change, you infuriating man."

* * *

"This teleportation business is ruining us," Zelda announced as Link and herself reformed from blue particle streams just outside of Gerudo Town. "I'm starting to miss the journeys we used to take through Hyrule; camping out under the stars, racing against the elements, and just having time away to ourselves. Although," she side eyed Link as they stepped off the Shrine and sunk into the sand, "I imagine those times were more stressful for you, constantly keeping watch."

"If I ever remember, I'll let you know," Link's remark was met with a poke to his side and he jerked away reflexively. "I enjoyed our research excursions though, if they're similar?"

They were now within eyeshot of the Gerudo guards by the entrance to the town, and Link tugged at a white silk scarf wrapped around his shoulders and jawline, making sure it was still set in place. Having donned the sand boots and leggings underneath the pale blue dress Zelda had bought him, this was the first time he had worn a Hylian outfit that would allow him to present himself as a vai. With advice to wear a sapphire circlet to further aid against the heat, Zelda wore a matching circlet upon her own head, which glowed blue as the sun caught it when she turned to speak to him.

"Towards the end they were similar, yes," she smiled, content. "I'm glad you do actually enjoy those trips though, and that I'm not just dragging you all over the country."

[Never] Link assured her, and they passed by the two guards stationed at the entrance to the town. They had eyed the dark material of his right hand and gave him a subtle nod before becoming eyeing Zelda curiously.

"Welcome back."

The walk through the town square was uninterrupted and they kept close together despite Zelda leaning this way and that as she looked around. She noted how little had changed, and was reminded of how much time she had spent here as an escape in the welcoming presence of Urbosa. She also recalled how she would run in here knowing full well that Link could not follow and felt a little guilty. Watching him now, walking confidently by her side as the loose skirt of his blue tunic swished about just below his knees, she wondered if he had ever tried to use such a tactic in an attempt to follow. If he had, she had never noticed. Feeling nostalgic she reached out to wrap her fingers around the unyielding surface of Link's guardium ones, knowing he wouldn't feel it and unsure if this made her glad or saddened.

Climbing the stairs that led up to the palace, Link turned to her and grabbed her hand with his prosthetic. Zelda nearly panicked that he had noticed, somehow, but instead he tugged her over to one of the guards placed on either side of the palace entrance.

[I wish to see Chief Riju]

Riju's name was fully spelled out this time, rather than using the nickname he had signed previously. The guard looked like she was about to object, but another guard had come over and placed a hand against the former's shoulder.

"I wouldn't bother if I was you. The Chief has said that this vai is always welcome to visit her and even if we refuse…" the guards peered down at Link who was smiling with innocent eyes. A little too innocent. "She'll find another way in."

The first guard simply waved them both forward with a gesture from her spear before returning to attention. Entering the palace, Zelda instantly recognised the high backed chair that the current Chief sat in, and she was glad that Link had forewarned her. She did look very young. Passing the stairs on both side of the atrium, their footsteps caught the attention of Riju, who perked up from her pondering to begin squinting slightly at Link. He gave her a small salute and she responded with a smile of recognition, before turning her attention to Zelda. He saw the exact moment Riju connected the dots as a look of astonishment crossed her face and her eyes darted back to him. His mouth was still covered, but the young Chief could see his smile by the crinkle of his eyes.

"State your name before approaching the Chief," Buliara demanded, tapping the point of her claymore against the floor. Zelda came to a stop and opened her mouth to introduce herself but Riju stuck a hand out towards her guard.

"There is no need, I know who this is," she said, standing from her chair, "Buliara, we are in the presence of Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule."

Buliara looked back towards the newcomers and caught the small waving gesture that Link sent her way over Zelda's head. She barely repressed an eye roll and instead addressed the small 'vai'.

"I also see that the Hylian Champion is with you. So, you were in fact able to complete your task after all." The guards comment was met with a guardium thumbs up while Riju approached the other Hylian in the room.

"I am pleased to be able to make your acquaintance, Princess," Riju greeted coming to stand directly in front of Zelda despite the fact that this meant she had to look up slightly to keep sight of her face.

"And I yours, Chief Riju. Link has spoken very highly of you," Zelda informed, and she could hear Link cough quietly behind his scarf.

"Oh? Have they now?" The young Chief leaned round Zelda to peer at her knight with a raised eyebrow, who was fidgeting a little under such scrutiny. Returning back to her original position, Riju locked eyes with Zelda once more, "I must thank you both for ridding us of the scourge of the Calamity. It has only been a few months since we saw the sky turn red and reports started coming in of a Castle without it's shadow, but we've seen such a difference. However," Riju turned away to walk back to her chair, continuing to talk as she did so, "I gather that you are not here for such frivolities as allowing your knight to visit wayward friends. I can only assume that you are here to rekindle an alliance between the Hylians and the Gerudo as the Champion Urbosa forged with you a century ago."

"Actually, I am no longer the Princess," Zelda announced, causing the Chief stopped in her tracks before reaching her chair. "That time in Hyrule's history has long since passed, and I have no desire to place it under such leadership once again."

Riju whirled around to face her again, her long fiery plait swinging with the momentum to curl around her thighs. "Excuse me?"

Zelda smiled, "I have come to offer my gratitude to the Chief of the Gerudo, Riju, for all she has done to aid my Champion, and therefore myself. The Hylian Monarchy has no place in this world anymore, I recognise that and I am happy to let that go." She took a step forward and Buliara either liked where this conversation was heading or was simply too stunned to do anything about her approach towards her charge. Link privately thought it was the former. "I am far better suited to researching and collecting information from this world to better the resources for future generations." Another step forward and the Chief's posture relaxed incrementally more and more as Zelda spoke, the Gerudo bodyguard watching her every move but doing nothing to stop her. "I was hoping that the friendship you have bestowed upon Link, you would also consider trying to cultivate with myself," another step forward and the former Hylian Princess reached out her hands in an offer to take Riju's own. "I would very much love to get to know you better and share all I remember of Urbosa. She was like a mother to me, and I hope I can work with you for any endeavours you may face just as she did for me."

Riju stared at her, eyes wide, as she clasped the other woman's hands tightly in return. Their gaze held strong for a few moments more before the Chief gave a resolute nod. A genuine smile spread across Riju's face as she bent sideways at the hip to address Link, who still stood several steps behind Zelda watching them all.

"I like her already."

Link laughed, one hand on his hips as he used the other to communicate to Riju freely, [Told you]

"Hmm, that you did. Only know I understand why you would walk so willingly into hostile territory to complete a task that would get you one step closer to saving your Princess. I almost started to worry that you _liked_ being electrocuted."

"He what?" Zelda started, snapping her head around to stare Link down, who was suddenly a let less smug.

"Whoops," Riju muttered, feigning disinterest as she looked away from Link to settle back onto Zelda. "Come walk with me. I think I recall you just said you would tell me some stories of the late Urbosa, I would love to hear them if you have time. Link you should probably practice some sand surfing if you ever wish to best Patricia and I."

He responded by yanking his scarf down to stick his tongue out at her, only to shove his scarf back up quickly as Buliara charged him from across the room.

"Try not to break anything," Riju reminded the two sparring bodyguards, as claymore clashed against Master Sword and the echoing clangs reverberated around the atrium.

"They're not … actually fighting are they?" Zelda inquired, a little concerned that there might be genuine animosity to be found here.

"Oh Great Din, no," Riju assured her, placing a hand at her elbow to lead her away, "they seem to enjoy testing each other as sparring partners. Buliara respects Link for everything he did for us, and Link respects the fact that Buliara can bodily throw them clean across a room."

Zelda gave the young Gerudo a _very_ concerned expression at that before she saw the smirk on her face. "He did learn to never sneak up on me again, after that. Now tell me, do you like sand seals?"

The Hylian researcher soon learnt that Riju had become a sort of sister role for Link, and he an older brother. Acting as a mischievous and wild sibling, Link allowed the young Chief to still experience fun in the face of all her responsibilities and obligations to her people. Meanwhile, Zelda found herself fast becoming an experienced older sister for Riju, ready to give her insight and anecdotes of her time as royalty. Even though their cultures were different, some aspects of their positions would remain the same; appearing to know how to solve a problem despite not having a clue being one of them. Unfortunately, another aspect that Zelda could bitterly recall was never having enough time to enjoy the simpler things in life.

"I'm afraid, as much as I find I have enjoyed your company, I am needed elsewhere today. Even with the leader of the Yiga missing and their Master banished to the far recesses of the next world, they're still making a nuisance of themselves," Riju sighed.

Both women looked down at the training yard below, where a small blonde Hylian, dressed in blue, was learning how to dual wield a pair of scimitars from the Gerudo Captain.

"From what I've seen, your soldiers should face very little problem with them," Zelda said, continuing to watch the synchronised line of soldiers carry out their drills.

"When we encounter them they pose very little threat, but the Yiga's ability to appear and disappear at will at any time makes them difficult to control. I worry more about the travellers going to and from this town."

"Perhaps designating a set route from here to the Bazaar? With guards stationed along it at specific intervals?" Zelda suggested, quickly trying to think of other viable solutions but Riju was already nodding.

"I considered the very same, but I worried whether this would leave them too spread out along a path and sandstorms can make standing unprotected in the desert a hazard. So, I am constructing a proposal to build miniature outposts alternating along the shortest path from here to the Bazaar. That way it would provide cover from the elements for both my guards and any travellers unlucky to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Would you agree that this sounds like the best course of action?"

"That sounds reasonable. May also act as a deterrent to certain … unwanted individuals," Zelda said, snidely, looking over at the town's outer walls.

"Please tell me Link told you about the time they cat-fished a man out of those sand-boots he wears," Riju said, sounding both despairing and amazed.

"Wait, Link what now?"

"Oh! Oh, Zelda, we have to sit down for this one. It's so good."

"I thought you had-"

"Trust me, you've saved me time mulling over my proposal anyway. You have to hear this."

Quarter of an hour later, the two adolescents were reclined on Riju's bed, and Zelda was wiping away tears of laughter while her fiery haired companion looked on in glee. The subject of their conversation walked around the corner of the entrance way to the Chief's room only to stop as both women took one look at him and burst into peals of laughter all over again. Very confused and a bit concerned, Link switched his gaze between the pair of them before approaching slowly.

"Link, I'm sorry," Zelda swallowed, trying to get herself under control and failing spectacularly. "We, I mean, Riju, was just telling me a story about you and I-"

The rest of her words were lost as she recalled the tale all over again and she lay down on her side with renewed silent laughter. Link was pleased that she was happy, and that, apparently, herself and the Chief were getting along well. He was slightly less pleased about what the story might have been.

"Riju … it was the sand boots thing wasn't it?"

A squeak was heard from the laid out form that was Zelda, and Riju could only nod before she checked that the hylian next to her was in fact breathing properly.

"He was so unbelievably _easy_ , honestly, I almost felt sorry for him. Almost," Link admitted, as he came to sit crossed legged on the floor.

"I had no idea you had such a talent," Zelda said, sitting up so she could see him, a wide grin set in place. "Who else have you been seducing in my absence?"

With narrowed eyes she scrutinised her knight who began hurriedly waving his hands in front of him to assure her he had been doing no such thing. Their conversation went back and forth for some time; Link insisting he was completely innocent of her insinuations, and that he had never promised the man anything. The fool had assumed everything by himself and Zelda knew for a fact that her knight was far too awkward to try and use his, admittedly appealing, appearance to his advantage. Meanwhile, Riju was feeling very pleased with herself and she fondly recalled a bet that had surfaced a couple of weeks after Ganon's defeat.

Following the day of the red sky, a letter had arrived for her penned by a woman known as Impa of the Sheikah. While the Sheikah were as secretive and introverted as they were a hundred years ago, Impa had long been keeping in contact with the current leaders of all the nations across Hyrule, no doubt to keep a network alive for the Princess's return. So the events of today had completely thrown Riju for a loop. She had been expecting a Princess to arrive and for the pair of them to have a discussion about forming a treaty and unite under the Hyrulian Kingdom. She had not anticipated gaining a true friend and a trusted confidant, but it was a much more desirable outcome regardless. Sitting in her bedroom, a sand seal plush placed in her lap, watching the 'Princess' tease her oblivious knight allowed her to see exactly what everyone had been implying.

"That dress looks really good on you. I told you a Hylian outfit would be more appropriate for you, where did you find it?" Riju asked, taking an apparent interest in his outfit.

"Oh, Zelda got it for me!" Link beamed at her, clearly pleased that she had enquired about it and that he got to show how considerate his companion was.

"You burn so easily, despite all of your adventuring. Plus, you've got a good figure for it. Damn you," Zelda replied to which Link tucked his face almost completely underneath his scarf.

Oh, Riju was so going to win that bet.

* * *

Eventually the Chief had to return to her duties and her new Hylian friends returned to Hateno. Their visit to Gerudo Town had invigorated them both to visit the Gorons and the Rito as well. However, upon arriving back at their house with the intention to gather gear for an adventure up Death Mountain, they encountered a flustered Symin waiting outside the front door.

"Oh, thank goodness! I was wondering where you had gone and I didn't really want to go back to Purah empty handed," he fretted, trailing off at the end embarrassed. He perked up again, "the Director would like to borrow your Sheikah Slate. She has been theorising that if she can access the programming behind the teleportation ability and understand it's range, she may be able to utilise it as a Rune. Would you mind terribly if we took it off of your hands for the next couple of hours or so?"

Zelda was in the process of turning to Link, who was the Slates' current keeper, only to find that he was already handing it over. It was becoming more and more apparent that her insatiable curiosity was reflected within her guard too. However, with their teleportation device now in the hands of the Hylian research assistant, who was jogging back through the village, they had to postpone their visit to the Gorons. They continued to watch until Symin was long out of sight before turning to each other, unsure of what to do with themselves.

"Well, I suppose I should start working on distilling the flora samples we've collected. I still need to fractionate them out to discover which part contains their magical properties. And you," she poked Link in the chest, "should be working on that shoulder of yours. Your shoulder joint needs to be exercised even if this arm doesn't."

Link dodged instinctively as she went to flick the inorganic surface of his right arm but he agreed it would be a good idea; he hadn't been doing his usual workout routine in quite sometime. Lying in bed and talking to Zelda was just so much nicer.

As she went into the house, leaving the front door open to let in a spring breeze, Link started to stretch his limbs before going on a jog. About halfway through his jog he noticed that he had attracted a line of young children trying to keep up with him. The route he previously used led out into the woods surrounding the village, but he decided that would not be the best idea considering his current young entourage. Instead, he doubled back through the village and the children would peter off one by one, completely worn out and dropping into the waiting arms of their laughing parents. Waving them goodbye, Link completed his improvised circuit and slowed his pace down as he crossed the bridge. Stretching once again as his muscles cooled down, he heard footfalls against wood and turned to see Bolson and Karson walking towards him. He gave them a quick salute with a free hand while he worked on his right shoulder.

"Workin' out huh? Haven't seen you do that in while," Bolson commented, sitting down and relaxing in the grass.

"Yeah, you used to do that everyday. Are you guys going somewhere?" Karson asked, much less graceful than his boss as he flopped down beside the cooking pot.

Link shook his head, placing his Guardium arm behind his head and reaching for the centre of his back, "with Ganon gone I don't have much pressure to. But, there are still Monsters around, so I should still be keeping fit to clear out nearby areas. I've just been distracted lately with Zelda living here with me."

"Oh?" Bolson said, raising his eyebrows and a sly grin appearing on his face, "I'm sure she's been keeping you _very_ distracted."

It took Link a couple of seconds but Karson putting his face in hands and Bolson waggling his eyebrows helped drive his meaning home. Unfortunately, by the time Link realised what the construction boss had meant, Zelda had come out of the house in time to see her flushing knight flip off the pair of them.

"Link!"

Zelda looked scandalised and Link nearly jumped out of his skin before looking ashamed of himself. He could hear Karson trying to stifle his giggles as the building pair got up and left as quietly as they could just in case Link decided to throw them under the cart-horse. Zelda kept her stern face until they had scampered off across the bridge and then she relaxed.

"Were they teasing you again?"

Link gave her a withering look before gazing deadpan off into the distance and resuming his exercises. She just laughed. He was about to ask her how her distillations were going when they spotted Symin running across the bridge toward them.

"Please … follow me," He huffed, slowing down to stand in front of them before placing his hands on his knees to catch his breath in between words. "Director Purah … has all but demanded your presence at her lab... Right away... _please"_

Zelda and Link were pretty sure that the please was from Symin, and not from Purah, but something was clearly amiss so they hurried to follow the lab assistant to the top of Hateno village. They were welcomed by an impatient and pacing Sheikah who all but exploded at them as soon as they walked in through the front door, Symin hanging back behind them.

"You guys took your sweet time! Of all the times to take a leisurely stroll up here I mean-" Purah took a deep breath to steady herself before releasing all of her tension in a flurry of words.

"I was rebooting the system, trying to get into its default settings - so I could see the full extent of the teleportation coding - and … There was a recording. I've never seen this before, I- I have no idea how it's been on here this whole time, and I only vaguely remember we theorised it had this function in the first place… but it's you, Link. I didn't watch it, I only saw the first few seconds before getting you guys to come up. Here," Purah handed the slate over to him, uncharacteristically gently, "take it."

Confused, Link took the slate from the young Sheikah researcher before automatically handing it over to Zelda. Purah started herding them towards the stairs that led down to her main lab space.

"I'll leave you guys to watch it in peace."

* * *

Both Zelda and Link settled themselves down at Purah's workbench, and brought the slate forward so that the pair of them could see what was displayed on the screen.

There was a still image of Link's face, looking right back at them. To most people, he would seem closed off and expressionless as he had always been known for. The current Zelda, however, was able to discern the slight apprehension in the tightness of his mouth and maybe a little guilt in his eyes. She held her index finger hovering over the surface of the screen for a moment, taking a long inhale before releasing it and pressing down to start the recording.

 _The Link captured in the image began to move; shuffling back from the screen and focusing on his future audience._

" _I had to bully Robbie to get this set up; he has no idea what I really wanted it for." He scratches the back of his head, now very obviously sheepish. He casts a look over the top of the Slate into the distance in front him, before returning his focus back to the screen._

" _Told him I was going to record the Guardians walking around, so that the Princess could look at it later… without her Father seeing. I might do that anyway, actually." Link looks speculative before focusing back on his message._

" _But the real reason I wanted to make this was to say don't worry … and I'm sorry." An extremely guilty expression bloomed over his face._

" _According to history, past Heroes have often had prophetic dreams, or they were given visions to guide their actions down a specific route. Well, I finally got mine." He shrugs, as if such an admission wasn't a huge moment in his life._

" _I know I'm going to die."_

Link of the present noticed Zelda's grip on the slate tighten as she cursed under her breath, "Oh, you son of a-"

" _Blatchery Plain. I don't know when or what it is that kills me, all I see are dark voids clustering around myself and the Princess. I'm not sure if I even make it to Ganon. But I know she will." He smiles, bright and open, not a shred of doubt on his features._

" _My job is to protect the Princess, above all else, and that's what I do. What I will do. In my … vision … I protect the Princess long enough for her to unlock her powers when she needs it most - the Goddesses are fickle like that apparently."_

Link of a century ago rolls his eyes, and the present Link snorts. Clearly, he'd always found the blatant refusal to answer Zelda's pleas infuriating.

" _The last thing I see is the Princess completely annihilating these shadows, they disintegrate like paper in a furnace. I really do hope I get to see that, as last sights go … that's gonna be awesome."_

 _The video ends with Link grinning like an idiot._

Link turned to Zelda as she inhaled sharply, releasing a stuttering exhale just as the screen boots up again, now showing footage of an orange and blue glowing Guardian walking around a courtyard.

Zelda burst into tears.

* * *

"How is she?"

Link lifted his head up off Purah's desk, where his face had been resting flat against the wooden surface. [Not good]

"Hmm. Probably should have called that one," Purah admitted, biting her lip slightly before taking a sip of her tea.

Zelda had booked it for the roof through the side door of the research lab, still crying on her way out. Startled, it had taken Link a couple of seconds to process what had just happened, before immediately rushing after her. However, he had been stopped at the front door by Symin.

"I wouldn't if I were you, it's best not to interfere when a woman's crying," he'd said sagely, patting Link on the shoulder.

The Champion had frowned, utterly confused by this notion, as surely this was the time when comfort _was_ needed, but he had been gently shepherded back into the main room and sat at Purah's desk.

"She'll work through and be back soon."

Symin had said that about half an hour ago and Link was itching to sneak up the stairs to cheer Zelda up again, but he was currently being scrutinised. After Zelda's swift exit and Links capture, Purah had gotten him to explain what was on the slate.

"Well, no wonder she's upset…"

"But I'm not dead!"

Now that he thought about it, Link was starting to get a little upset too. _Doesn't this just prove that she considers me to be a different person to the Link of one hundred years ago?_ Granted, he didn't have all of his memories back yet, but his personality was still the same according to the Zora. Plus, she had said herself that his actions and choices reflected those of his former self. He sank back onto the table. The Zora had actually known _him,_ Zelda was always met with a watered down version that was racked with anxiety and panic. A cold, sinking feeling spread through him as he realised that she probably had never heard the Link of the past speak to such lengths, and now that she had it had been to hear he _knew_ of his impending demise. _Dick move, past me, dick move… and yet, still something I would do._

Link sighed, tugging his hair out of the ponytail and lacing his fingers together through it behind his head. He breathed heavily onto the table, feeling the hot air condense onto the surface below him. He sniffed and raised his head up.

"I'm going to see how she's doing. No-" Link held up a hand to forestall any more of Symin's 'advice', "Zelda is upset, I can't just leave her like that. She should be happy."

With that, Link stood from the bench and walked out of the door to make his way to the roof. As he left, Purah watched him, with eyes peering over the rim of her tea cup, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Those two haven't got a clue."

* * *

Zelda sat on the edge of the wooden landing at the very top of Purah's lab, leaning to one side, a hand propping her up, and with her legs folded up on her other side. She looked out over Hateno Village, watching the wind catch and rotate the sails of the windmills down below. Soft but confident footsteps sounded behind her, and she knew Link had finally followed her. He didn't bother to hide the sound of his footsteps so that she would know there was someone approaching, a fact she appreciated as he often had a habit of randomly appearing beside her completely silently.

Turning around as the steps got closer she gave Link a small but apologetic smile, and patted the space next to her. He took a seat next to her, dangling his legs over the edge of the platform, and she took the opportunity to lean into him, freeing her hand.

"I tried to come up and follow you, but Symin wouldn't let me. Apparently, I'm supposed to just let you cry," Link said, derision colouring his voice towards the end as he shook his head.

"I did wonder where you had gone, but I did leave in a hurry and quite spontaneously too, I'm sorry," Zelda apologised.

He bumped his shoulder against hers in response, his way of gently reprimanding her when self depreciation clouded her.

"I'm the one that should be apologising. I think I understand my past intentions, but given how everything ended, that message wasn't entirely fair to you."

"Actually … I'm rather glad for it. Hindsight can be a blessing and a curse really," Zelda murmured. "You were shown as possible future and yet you never wavered once. You had so much faith in me, right until the very end... well," she sniffed through a small laugh, "it wasn't the end really though, was it?"

Link said nothing, and she could practically feel him tense as he decided to keep his thoughts to himself. Then, just as quickly, the tension in his body snapped and faded away.

"So, you're not..." He paused, frowning at himself, and she was willing to give him all the time in the world for him to get his thoughts in order. "You're not upset because you were watching his last message to you?"

Zelda nearly slipped off of his shoulder in her shock. She whipped her head around to stare at him but Link was staring resolutely ahead. There was a nonchalant expression on his face, as if her answer would not phase him, but she knew him better than that. Now she was wondering just how long this insidious thought had been festering within his mind.

"Link … no .. that's not-" She gathered herself and started over. "He _is_ you. It was like watching you tell me you were about to die, _again_ , and even though you're sat right next to me I will never forget …" Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. _He hasn't said to me he's ready for that yet._

"Oh. Oh, Zelda, I'm sorry," Link leaned into her and rested his head against hers, relieved slightly when she responded in kind. "That was unfair of me. I know you don't see us as different people."

"But you seem to," Zelda said, lifting her head away from his. "You've been so attentive of my needs and making sure I'm adjusting from my time in the Castle. But you never really let me know of your own struggles, which I know you must have."

Link smiled to himself at that, for she had no idea how much she did for him in her own way.

"I just want you to be happy. You being happy makes me happy..." He said and Zelda had a moment to think to herself, _there he goes again with that open honesty. If he keeps-_ , but she was interrupted as he continued. "Isn't that what it means to love someone?"

 _Wait, what?_

"Wh- wait," Zelda paused, her thoughts now utterly scrambled from the seamless shift in conversation, sitting up straight. "What do you mean? Are we talking about as a friend or..."

She let the question trail off and her companion looked away for a split second before looking back at her. For the first time in a long time, she couldn't discern any expression or emotion on his face.

"Well, I mean, I love Sidon, but I don't want to kiss him."

Such a simple sentence sent Zelda's mental capabilities into complete overdrive only for everything to crash instantly. _He wants to- but he hasn't ever-._ Then it dawned on her and suddenly it seemed so obvious; following her across the Kingdom, fetching any and every material she needed, his desire to look after her even beyond his duty, and the easy acceptance he gave her at all times. After sharing everything he had with her without a second thought. Where else could that come from but from love, and know she knew what kind and why he had never tried to overstep before. _He was waiting for permission._

"Kiss me," she said, and so he did.

* * *

Purah had been waiting for the legendary Hylian pair to return back down from the roof for a while and nothing had happened.

"Ugh, fine. I'll go up there myself," the tiny Sheikah huffed, throwing herself off of her stool and charging towards the door.

"Ah!," Symin exclaimed, following behind, "maybe we should give them more time. It's a heavy topic they probably need some space right now."

"How much time do they need!" Purah shrieked, the impatience of her self-inflicted youth showing through. "Zelda was never one to linger on her wayward emotions, she had that nonsense on lock down. As for Link, this boy lost an arm and the first thing he did with the new one was nearly blast a hole through my ceiling with a, quite frankly, disturbing smile on his face." She jabbed a finger to point at the space above her head, "those two are either the most well-adjusted Hylians I've ever met or they're insane. I'm not leaving them to deal with this alone any longer."

With that, she threw open the door and stormed up to the roof, muttering to herself the whole way. When she finally reached the uppermost level she peered around the edge of the observatory tower, ready to scare the living daylights out of her friends, only for her jaw to drop. Neither of the two Hylians in front of her had noticed her approach, despite her stomping, for they were far too fixated on each other. Kissing. Well, they were snogging, actually.

At some point, Link had been pushed down to lie on his back with Zelda propping herself up over him. One of his hands was tangled in her hair and the prosthetic was supporting her back. Eyes closed and very intent on the sensation of their lips sliding across each other's, they were completely oblivious to the world around them.

Skipping down the stairs once more, Purah grabbed a farming hoe propped up by the side door and then stalked back up to the roof, weapon in hand. _Goddess damned teenagers_. She jumped up onto the roof brandishing the hoe in front of her ready to sweep these pests off of her laboratory.

"Get off of my roof!" Purah yelled, causing Link to suddenly scramble out from under Zelda in an effort to defend her from this new threat. "I was starting to worry about you two, only to come up here and find that you have your tongues down each others throats. Go _home_ , you fiends."

The farming tool waved closer to them and Link grabbed Zelda's hands to duck them both under the swipe. They began to laugh as they passed by Purah and legged it down the stairs, causing a hesitant research assistant hovering by the door at the bottom to jump back inside the lab. Purah followed them down less than a minute later, hoe still grasped in her hands and lips pursed.

"How were they?" Symin asked, watching his employer attempt to swallow something sour.

"We all owe Teba rupees," she said, despairingly.

* * *

After running back to the house, Zelda didn't know whether she wanted to keep kissing Link, or go and run some more. She was ecstatic. They slowed down as they neared the house, still hand in hand, and came to a stop to open the front door and go inside, grins stretched wide across their faces. Neither of them had seen the look that Karson and Bolson shared and the silent laughter on their faces as the two blondes had run by the cube homes on their way.

Inside the house, the pair were just holding each other close, swaying to an imaginary chime.

"What should we do now?"

Zelda threw her head back to look at the ceiling, pondering an answer with a care-free smile. She linked her fingers together behind Link's neck, while his hands supported her around her waist as she leaned away.

"Hmm, how about something sweet? That run made me quite hungry."

She gave him a coy smile, so Link responded with a raised eyebrow and a smug grin.

"Something sweet, huh?"

"Hmm," Zelda hummed in response, and she leaned forward to kiss him again. They sighed deeply as they broke apart and she couldn't help but give a short laugh. "We're going to be insufferable."

"I think we can be forgiven for that. So, pancakes?"

Link kissed her nose, causing her to giggle, and immediately got to work sifting flour and cracking eggs. Zelda retrieved a bottle of milk from the ice chu-chu barrel for him before she began to work on making some fruit compote. The pair would occasionally brush up against the other, sparking a smile and a small flour battle. It was a miracle that any pancakes actually made it to the table, but they were eventually able to pry themselves from the other long enough to set the table and sit opposite each other.

Conversation started up easily between the pair as they dug into their food. Link would ask what fruits Zelda had used in combination, and she would answer him mouth full of food while she tapped her foot against his shin. The only behaviour that had changed between them was the knowledge that they were allowed to be closer to one another, and that it was actually something they encouraged. All other actions and communications stayed the same, which led them to wonder how they hadn't reached this point before now.

The sheer amazement about actually getting to _choose_ who she was allowed to have as a partner was starting to sink in for Zelda, as a mini spoon battle broke out for the sugar bowl between herself and Link. At her current age she would have been expected to start looking for suitors for a future marriage. She nearly snorted a loud at this wayward thought. _Look for? More like choose from a list that had been created for me,_ and she doubted that any potential suitors presented to her would have been as close in age to her as Link was. Or as well known. Suddenly, a question popped into her head.

"Link, I never thought to ask before, but how old are you?"

Zelda carried on applying various berries into a specific order onto her pancake waiting for Link to respond in his own time. She looked up at him to gauge when he would answer only to find him sitting there staring ahead of him, a fork held paused towards his mouth, which was now shut. He blinked, lowered the fork to the table and turned to look at Zelda, face completely blank. A cold weight started to settle in her stomach, and the state of her pancakes were far from her mind.

"You … you don't know do you?" She asked.

The idea that he wasn't aware of how old he was shouldn't have been an odd concept given everything, and yet it still threw Zelda for a loop for a minute. During which time, Link turned back to stare at the wall ahead of him, his pancakes also completely forgotten.

"Huh," Link said, eventually, still staring straight ahead, only now slightly unnerved.

"I know what we're doing tomorrow," Zelda said, leaning across the table to lace her fingers through Link's, comfortingly. "I'm sure a registry with all the Knights of Hyrule is now kept safe and sound in Impa's collection. Your name will be in there and with it will be your date of birth."

Link returned his gaze to her at the physical contact and nodded, but Zelda could see that her simple question had actually shaken him quite a bit. He never was one for introspection; he really hadn't changed.

Three days later found Zelda and Link, sitting on the floor of Impa's home, sorting through an entire stack of records all containing information on Hyrule's military. They had barely finished asking for such records when Impa had gotten up from her tower of cushions and fetched the appropriate documents. The elderly Matriarch seemed to have fallen asleep listening to their muted conversation and the sounds of paper moving across one another and so they left her be. The process would have gone a lot faster if the young pair of Hylians were not incredibly curious individuals, and insisted on actually skim reading all of the entries.

"Sweet Goddesses, this man was stabbed three times, set on fire, crushed under a tree, _and_ had previously suffered pneumonia at the age of ten. Yet he was able to actually retire after thirty years of service to live out the rest of his days as an instructor," Zelda exclaimed.

"…I've done nearly all of that, haven't had pneumonia though as far as I'm aware," Link said, counting off the listed events on one hand.

"You were crushed under a tree?"

" _Moving on_!"

They eventually found the records pertaining to their original era and started rifling through the pages more slowly until Zelda suddenly slammed her hand down on one page in particular. Link refocused his eyes to read the writing and suddenly he felt like he wasn't fully in his body any more. There right in front of him was a record of whom he had been and the actions he had carried out under the Hyrulian flag over a century ago.

"Link Silvis. Son of Damien Silvis; Captain of the Guard, retired, and Lucinda Silvis; Ambassador Translator. Date of birth ... Oh! You were eighteen when you went into the Shrine. Born during the Farore Festival, how fitting. So, that makes you about nineteen now?"

Link was only half paying attention. Reaching out his left hand, he traced over the script that gave him his parents' names.

"I knew my father was a Knight. You mentioned it in one of the memories, but I didn't know he had been a Captain. I wonder what he did afterwards." His mother was a complete surprise, but the more he thought on it the more it seemed to make sense. No doubt his literary skills and ability to sign had come from her, plus his frequent visits to Zora's Domain were likely due to diplomatic visits with his parents. Zelda had no further insight into who she was at all, however, so for now he would just have to accept that that part of him was lost. Link smiled softly, inwardly thanking a mother he didn't know for teaching him such useful skills, and a father who set him on the path of knighthood.

"I feel so bad, I didn't know any of this about you," Zelda murmured, echoing Links own thoughts and her perfect posture caving slightly as she read more of the document.

"Well, that makes two of us," Link quipped.

While the situation was incredibly surreal, and this level of personal introspection was incredibly uncommon for him, he didn't like seeing Zelda put herself down. In similar situations, he always turned to levity in an effort to distract his companion. It must have worked as Zelda turned to give him a reproachful look but with one corner of her mouth tilted up just slightly.

"Your father was always very keen to make sure you were doing well, but due to the pressures you were under you never verbally responded to him when I was with you. He didn't seem put off by your silence though, so I imagine he knew you very well. No doubt he understood your slight mannerisms and gestures far more than I ever did. I don't remember ever meeting your mother though, I wonder where she was. As part of the Ambassador team she may even have been outside of the Kingdom when the Calamity struck, if that's any consolation." Zelda shook her head with a sigh, and she turned to observe her knight.

"I'm still marvelling over the fact that you have a last name; Silvis, meaning woods. Pretty sure the stars aligned for that one. I mean obviously you have a last name, but you were always just Link to me," she explained, eyes returning to the sheaf of paper now in her hands as she skimmed down the entry even further.

"I'm sure you had some other names for me too," Link said, scratching the top of his nose but he was grinning regardless. Zelda shunted him with her shoulders, before turning to press a kiss against his hair. She lingered there for a moment, thinking over her next words carefully before taking the plunge.

"I think it's time for you to know for yourself," she said, quietly, prompting Link to turn and look directly at her. "We've brought it up before, and each time we realised neither of us we're quite ready yet."

Link sighed, "delaying it doesn't seem right anymore, either."

They had already discussed the pros and cons of Link revisiting his last memory, and had agreed that the possible trauma was perhaps not worth the chance of him regaining all of his past memories. He had argued that gaining the memory would allow him to better understand some of Zelda's insecurities. But he had admitted that he feared losing who he had become now. He had grown to like who he was, and Zelda had too. Very much so. Now, however, as more and more instances were referenced that Link could not re-call, it had become clear to her that his amnesia was causing him stress.

She was also more confident now, that this Link was her Link regardless, and this was how he had always been beneath the surface. Had she spent more time with him a century ago, and had she been more open with him from the start she was positive she would have seen it in full before. He had nothing to lose returning to Blatchery Plain; she wasn't going anywhere, and he would keep his personality just the way it was.

"I think living with that part of you missing will always bother you. You will always have that question in the back of your mind; 'what did I used to be like?'." She nestled their heads together as she spoke softly to him, "I know that we can prove that you haven't changed a bit. But it's up to you, it's your choice."

Link huffed out a laugh before chuckling. Her words were a mirror of the ones he had spoken to her as she asked his opinion on her decision to reject the monarchy.

"You know me, I leap before I look, I'm ready. Plus, I also realised…" he indicated the Sheikah Slate, a little embarrassed, "I need to finish my Memory Quest."

"Memory Que- Oh my goodness," Zelda's exasperation was accompanied by batting against his arms with her hands.

* * *

Instead of teleporting, Zelda had led Link to Hateno Fort on foot from Kakariko Village. Impa had bid them farewell and wished them luck, showing them the painted she'd had made of the precise location Link needed to visit before they departed.

Upon reaching the field of dead Guardians, their empty husks covered by years of growth and weathering, the former Princess of Hyrule led her appointed knight to the very spot where his oath to her had ended. Link had passed through here many times before, had heard the tales of a last stand occurring here, yet he had always pictured an army fighting here, not just him. According to Zelda, however, they had been the only ones left, and only one of them had walked away.

"You need to see it for yourself, there's only so much I can tell you, and I will never be able to tell you what you yourself were feeling. So," she gently turned Link around to stare up at a couple of felled Guardians, one slumped over a fellow automaton below it, "try to remember."

Then she backed away, and he was left to empty his mind of everything but the sight before him. It had been so long since he had last recalled a memory that the sensation of his mind trickling away slowly but surely nearly sent him into a panic. But then the world was darker, it was raining, and his heart was on fire.

 _His knees hit the ground as his exhaustion hit him all at once, but he was already pushing one leg up so that he was kneeling, leaning heavily against the Master Sword. He needed to get up. The Princess was behind him but there were still yet more Guardians before them. They couldn't get to her. They just couldn't._

 _The other Champions were locked far away and for a brief moment he wanted to cry at his inability to protect the Princess, let alone his other friends. Friends. Of course they were his friends, why wouldn't they be? The Princess had her hands on his shoulders, trying to get him to run, to save himself, and that she would be ok. She must have known he could never do that, would not do that. Even as he remembered Mipha's determined face as she left them to reunite with Vah Ruta, he would never abandon Zelda here. If he had the energy he would have screamed._

 _Instead, he used his anger towards the events that had conspired against them all to propel himself upward, but his energy waned as he stumbled back on weak legs. Another Guardian locked onto them over the top of the last one he had decommissioned; the burns from it's near misses and the gashes from clawed metal feet still stung and ached across his back and legs._

 _His attention had faded at some point from standing and noticing the laser sight on his chest, he knew he was at the end of the road. This scene looked so familiar all of a sudden. Of course, the dark shapes that surrounded him were Guardians, which would mean…_

" _No!"_

 _A hand was placed at his shoulder dragging him back and Zelda, the Princess, placed herself in front of him, determined not to let him suffer any more. She wanted to be the one to protect him this time, and with immense courage she stood before the possessed automaton and raised up a hand._

 _The white light expanded from the back of her hand, illuminating herself and her foe. A ringing noise filled his ears, getting louder and louder before the heavens themselves seemed to crash down onto the Guardian in front of her and then wash over the surrounding fields. The Guardian was completely overwhelmed, trying to compute the sheer amount of power it had just experienced before shutting down and falling. The sounds of it's metallic comrades hitting the rain soaked floor sounded around them, and he soon followed._

 _A dull, slow rush sounded in his head once in a while as he lay there and he could no longer feel his limbs. The aches and pains of shattered bones and bruised tissue had faded, so he barely felt the Princess hold him up in her arms. She sounded so sad._

 _He didn't want her to be sad, so he tried to make her happy._

 _Then he faded too._

Coming back to himself was incredibly disorientating, as he found he was nearly in the same position he had just left; lying on the grass, thankfully dry this time, and being supported by the Princess. _Zelda._ She was rubbing a hand up and down his arm which he could blessedly still feel with and looking out across the field, waiting for him to come back out of his trance. He pressed his face into her shoulder, trying to get his thoughts back in order, and he felt the muscles in her arms tense when she recognised that he was moving again.

"Zelda..."

"Yes?"

" _Princess_..."

"Link, we've talked about this, you-" but she stopped as Link turned his head up to stare into her eyes and suddenly she saw. There was no doubt or confusion. No hint of the previous uncertainty that haunted his actions towards her, only the power of full familiarity.

"I remember you. I remember this. You were right; I haven't changed, I never did. I always had faith in you, and you know what else?" He asked, keeping eye contact as tears welled up in both of their eyes. "I was right, as last sights go, that was incredible."

With a gasp and a cry, Zelda threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around him. She buried her face into his neck, just as he did the same to her, both lying in the tall grass as butterflies fluttered about above them.

They were back, finally after one hundred years, they had returned in full to the other. No doubt he would have to spend hours if not days slowly recalling each and every memory, and some may not even become apparent right away. Link's head was left reeling, so many memories were sorting themselves out in the back of his mind, but for now all he could think about was how warm Zelda was.

"Come on, let's go home, Link."

* * *

 **This series isn't over yet, but at least these two finally got there, and Link no longer has that little identity problem. The next part will be called 'Trial and Error' and will take a while to come out as I want to have the whole thing written before I start posting. So, please bear with me on that one!**

 **The bet started by Impa informing Link's contacts in each nation of his and Zelda's success and that Zelda would undoubtedly be staying with Link. She was not sure in what state the pair would be in but to be prepared should they visit. At some point, Impa's words had been misunderstood, and the fact that Zelda was living with Link meant that they were living together. Impa could neither confirm nor deny this and before she knew it a bet had started between her correspondents. Yunobo was certain that Link's intentions were purely platonic. Sidon was convinced the pair would already be lovers. Riju had predicted that Link would do something stupid, and one of them would admit their feelings in panic. Teba meanwhile had simply said that it would come out in conversation and that was the end of it.**

 **C** **ompanion art for this chapter can be found on my tumblr sarcastic-sketches under the Ironic Technology tag**


	13. Author's Note

Thank you for following, commenting, and favouring this story! Usually I don't like tacking on A/Ns in place of a chapter but this decision was very last minute.

If you're still interested in where this story is going I have posted the next part in the series as a new fic as it has a different vibe and a separate plot from this one but it is still a direct continuation of the events from Ironic Technology!

Find the next part to this story in **Trial and Error!**

I am also planning another BotW zelink fic after this one is completed but it will be a different AU so keep an eye out for that. All of my stories are generally posted to Ao3 first.


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